Top Ayala Corporation execs inspect LRT 1

Top officials of Ayala Corp. (AC) inspected the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) early Monday, as part of an orientation tour to check the interconnection of the mass rail system.

Along with AC chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala also went around the LRT-1, inspecting the mass rail system.

Ayala Corp., through its subsidiary AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., is a shareholder in private concessionaire Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), which took over operations and maintenance of the LRT-1 in September.

The LRMC in October said it would prioritize the increase in more light rail vehicles (LRVs) on the line to reduce customers' waiting time.

"Expanding the capacity of the trains to lessen waiting time means refurbishing existing trains and purchasing new ones to complement the government's acquisition of new LRVs which we hope will come as per DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) and LRTA's (Light Rail Transit Authority) timetable," LRMC president and CEO Jesus P. Francisco said.

AC is also a partner in the joint venture company AF Payments Inc.—the private concessionaire for the tap-and-go ticketing system beep card  for the LRT and Metro Rail Transit (MRT)—with Metro Pacific Investments Corp. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News