The Cavite provincial government and residents have asked President Arroyo to pursue her plans on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 South Extension Project (SEP) to ease the daily traffic flow and further spur economic growth in the province.

Wednesday, about 20,000 people gathered at the Cavite Provincial Capitol in Trece Martires City to support the move to push the rail transit project which has been pending for the last decade.

The gathering came after the officers and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) approved unanimously the resolution asking President Arroyo to go on with the transit plan which she cited in her State-of-the-Nation Addresses and speeches about her Ten-Point Agenda and Comprehensive and Integrated Infrastructure Program.

Governor Ayong S. Maliksi also urged the President and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) to implement the transit plan that will be beneficial for the province and the people in many teams.

The board resolution was made after the provincial officials cited a pronouncement that the DoTC would scrap the implementation of the transit project and leave the plan to the next administration.

Interviewed by media, Maliksi expressed dismay over the pronouncement, saying: “I have no idea about what could be the reason behind the sudden decision. The DoTC should explain to the people.”

“This project was started when I was still mayor of Imus. When I became congressman, I pursued this project. I visited the offices of DoTC and NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) and pushed the approval of this project during the time of President Erap. We entered into a MoA (memorandum of agreement) with LRTA (Light Rail Transit Authority) supporting this project. When GMA became President, the implementation agreement was signed.”