The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) now estimates the cost to extend LRT-2 westward to the Port Area at PHP17 billion, a PHP7 billion increase from the original PHP10.12 billion approved in 2015. Construction delays of over five years, mainly due to pandemic-related budget priorities and lack of funding, have driven up costs.
Preliminary works are underway with a PHP2 billion allocation in 2025, focused on utility relocations and relocating informal settlers along the route. Actual construction funding is yet to be secured. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) included the project in its 2026 expenditure plan, aiming to finally begin building the 3 km extension with stops at Tutuban, Divisoria, and Pier 4.
Once completed, the extension will reduce travel times from Recto to Pier 4 to five minutes and from Antipolo to the port to under an hour. The project is expected to add 16,000 daily riders to the existing 147,000 passengers on LRT-2, and includes the procurement of 20 new rail vehicles to increase capacity. LRTA is also studying a potential eastern extension to Cogeo in Antipolo, with findings expected by the end of 2025.