THE dismantling of a significant portion of the controversial C-5 Quirino Highway Flyover in Las Piñas will be the subject of a full-scale congressional inquiry following the filing of a resolution by Rep. Mark Anthony Santos.
Santos has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately demolish the P300.39 million C-5 Quirino Highway Flyover project, citing its direct obstruction of the right-of-way for the long-delayed LRT-1 Cavite Extension project.
In his House Resolution No. 19, Santos said the final phase of the project—Phase 2, which includes the Las Piñas and Zapote stations—has been stalled for years and remains at a standstill to this day.
Based on the current timeline, construction on this segment by the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) may not even commence until 2026, further delaying the full operationalization of the extension that was originally envisioned to be completed more than a decade ago.
“Every year of delay means commuters suffer, traffic worsens, and government funds bleed due to avoidable mistakes. This is not just inefficiency—it borders on gross negligence,” Santos said.
Santos has urged House committee on transportation chair Franz Pumaren and relevant committees to summon DPWH and the Department of Transportation officials to explain the decision-making process that led to the flyover being built directly on the LRT alignment.
Likewise, to determine whether there was gross incompetence, lack of inter-agency coordination, or possible conflict of interest involved, he said.
At the center of the controversy is the 680-meter C-5 Quirino Highway Flyover, part of the contentious C-5 Extension project initiated under former DPWH Secretary and now Senator Mark Villar.
The flyover, opened in April 2024 after four years of construction, has been identified as a direct obstruction to the right-of-way for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension’s final leg. This infrastructure—built right on the planned alignment of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension—is now the single largest obstruction preventing the completion of Phase 2, the lawmaker pointed out.
Santos demanded that the DPWH dismantle the problematic segment instead of forcing the government to spend an additional ₱1 billion to redesign and realign the remaining stations.
The DOTr confirmed that the government must redesign the station posts and alignment, an adjustment that will require at least ₱1 billion in additional costs on top of ongoing right-of-way (ROW) and utility relocation issues.
“It is more practical, cost-efficient, and justifiable to remove the obstruction than to make costly adjustments to the LRT design,” Santos said.
“Instead of forcing taxpayers to shoulder another billion pesos just to work around an ill-planned flyover, the more practical and justifiable move is to dismantle the obstructing portion,” Santos stressed.
The ₱64.92-billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension is a public-private partnership (PPP) between LRMC and the national government. Phase 1—covering five stations in Parañaque (Redemptorist–Aseana, MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, and Dr. Santos)—was already delayed by almost three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic before opening in November 2024.
Now, Phase 2 is facing a potential three-to-five-year delay because of the flyover blunder. According to the DOTr, even if construction begins in 2026, the Las Piñas and Zapote stations will not be operational until 2028, while the Talaba and Niog stations are targeted for 2030.
Motorists and residents have also raised red flags over how the C-5 Extension project altered previously planned alignments, including those under the Manila–Cavite Toll Expressway Project (MCTEP).
These changes have allegedly led to redundant infrastructure and inflated property compensation costs, further burdening taxpayers.
Because of these alterations, the DOTr is now seeking ₱3 billion in next year’s budget to construct a proposed Talaba Station requested by the Bacoor City government.
This station, to be located between Zapote and Niog, remains within the original project alignment—raising questions as to why previous changes were made in the first place.
“This isn’t just about a construction delay—it’s about whether billions of pesos in public funds were wasted because government agencies failed to talk to each other, or worse, ignored the problem altogether,” Santos added.
