One of the biggest factors why people are hesitant to move to the East is its perceived inaccessibility. The endless traffic along the major roads going to Antipolo, as well as the limited options for public transportation make it seem like Antipolo’s on the far side of the Metro.
But now, with the opening of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) extension, consisting of two stations from Marikina City to Masinag in Antipolo City, this concern has been addressed. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has mentioned that these stations will be operational starting June 22, as its final touches are already being undertaken (Lalu, 2021).
The LRT-2 Extension connects Metro Manila’s west side, the Recto station, to the east side, the Antipolo station. This adds four kilometers to the existing 11 stations 13.8 kilometers long (Dela Cruz, 2021). Once this is operational, commuters’ travel time from Manila to Antipolo will be cut to only 40 minutes, compared to the dreaded three-hour bus and jeepney rides.
Another good news is that, with the opening of the two additional stations of the LRT, 80,000 more commuters per day will be given access.
Although it faced delays and some controversies of its own, this project is now on its feet to help many commuters have accessible modes of transportation.
References
ABS-CBN News. (2021). LRT-2 extension to Antipolo to open June: DOTr. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/25/21/lrt-2-extension-to-antipolo-to-open-june-dotr
Dela Cruz, R. C. (2021). LRT-2 trip to Antipolo City starts in June. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140928
Lalu, G. P. (2021). Tugade inspects LRT-2 extension in Antipolo, Marikina; trips start June 22. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1434492/tugade-inspects-lrt-2-extension-in-antipolo-marikina-trips-to-start-on-june-22