The government is moving toward awarding the Unified Grand Central Station contract to Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) in the first quarter of 2026, signaling a major step in linking Metro Manila’s rail lines with the private operator of LRT-1. Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan told Manila Bulletin that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is finalizing the contract, with a formal award anticipated between January and March.
LRMC, which recently submitted an unsolicited proposal to complete the project, is the sole bidder currently under consideration. Batan did not disclose the proposal’s monetary value, noting that it remains under further evaluation. The decision will first go to the Economy and Development Council (ED Council), chaired by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., for approval since the project is structured as a public-private partnership (PPP).
LRMC is a consortium comprising Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. (MPLRC), Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (AC Infra), Sumitomo Corp., and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Investments Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL). There were indications earlier that one major stakeholder might exit, as Manuel V. Pangilinan noted he was considering selling Metro Pacific’s stake; however, LRMC has remained the only proponent to publicly commit to finishing the Unified Grand Central Station.
The project’s award would bring relief to commuters after years of delays that have hampered a central plan to streamline Metro Manila travel. In May, DOTr terminated contracts with the BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. (BFC-FDSC) consortium due to persistent delays. The BF-Corp/BFC-FDSC contract, signed in 2019 for Area A of the station, had an initial completion target of 2021 and is valued at ₱2.78 billion.
The Unified Grand Central Station comprises three areas: Area A connects LRT-1 and MRT-3; Area B links Areas A and C; and Area C houses the platform for the MRT-7 project, which is still under construction. If LRMC is awarded, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez indicated to Manila Bulletin that the station is still expected to open before the end of President Marcos Jr.’s term in 2028, with a realistic target of 2027 aligned with MRT-7’s commencement.
Located along North Avenue, the station is planned to offer a 13,700-square-meter concourse with seamless interchanges to LRT-1, MRT-3, and MRT-7. An intermodal system beneath the facility would integrate buses, jeepneys, and taxis, facilitating easier transfers for commuters across multiple modes of transport.
