The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Villar Group are set to sign a Memorandum of Agreement on September 10, 2026, a key step toward securing access to a critical property needed for the Las Piñas station of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project.
According to Light Rail Transit Authority administrator Hernando Cabrera, this deal addresses a long-standing barrier: the property, along with another parcel, remains mortgaged to China Bank, which has kept government teams from entering the site and starting construction work.
The Villar Group committed as early as August to facilitate the release of the mortgaged land and submit all required documents to the bank. A replacement property presented by the group was reviewed and deemed acceptable by China Bank during a meeting held last August 27. While document processing is expected to take around 30 days, both parties have agreed to proceed with signing the agreement even as the bank’s approval is ongoing.
Under the terms of the agreement, the DOTr will be permitted to enter the property 30 days after the MOA is signed, giving China Bank sufficient time to finalize release and documentation procedures. Cabrera noted that issuing an entry permit before complete documents are available would risk violating existing agreements between the bank and the Villar Group, but the new arrangement balances legal safeguards with project progress. Villar Group officials remain confident the bank’s review and release process will move forward smoothly.
For commuters and the broader rail network, this development clears one of the most significant property access hurdles facing the extension project, bringing the LRT-1 expansion closer to serving more areas in southern Metro Manila and Cavite. Cabrera clarified that the Villar property is just one part of a larger challenge, as 16 other parcels—including residential lots owned by individual homeowners—also remain part of unresolved property issues. The DOTr continues efforts to resolve these remaining cases alongside the formalized agreement with the Villar Group.
