The new stations include Redemptorist-Aseana, Manila International Airport, Asia World/Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, and Dr. Santos.
Once the 11.8-km extension project is completed with three more stations in Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog, people can then hop from Roosevelt, Quezon City to Bacoor, Cavite on a single train ride.
A big win for commuters, the new five stations cater to an additional 80,000 passengers daily. “Commuters will now see a great reduction in their travel time, allowing them to spend more time with their loved ones, ” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during the project’s inauguration.
New links to Laguna, Bataan, Batangas
Motorists coming from Cavite will soon share CAVITEX (Manila-Cavite Expressway) with those coming from Laguna, Quezon, and other areas serviced by SLEX (South Luzon Expressway).
SLEX in Biñan will soon be connected to CAVITEX through CALAX (Cavite-Laguna Expressway), whose Cavite segment is opening in 2025. CALAX’s Laguna segment is already operational.
Prior to the finalization of the development of Sangley Point International Airport, located beside the Danilo Atienza Air Base in the Cavite Peninsula, ADB (Asian Development Bank) in 2023 announced the approval of funding for a bridge connecting Naic, Cavite and Mariveles, Bataan over Manila Bay.
The 32.15-km Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge will start construction in 2025, making it possible for people in Cavite to reach Subic and Bataan without passing through Metro Manila’s traffic-infested thoroughfares.
The upcoming bridge will have a road link at a partial cloverleaf interchange along Antero Soriano Highway in Brgy. Timalan Balsahan, Naic.
Upscale communities on the rise
With infrastructures teeming in Cavite, the country’s beloved property developers are already building expansive communities in the southern area, integrating amenities that are at par with what is available in the Metro.
In Bacoor, which will host the final station of the LRT-1 extension, MV Golden Holdings of billionaire Manny Villar launched Villar City in 2023. The 3,500-hectare megalopolis is designed with a university complex housing a UP (University of the Philippines) campus.
Going further south along the Centennial Road is Ayala Land’s 200-hectare Evo City in Kawit. The property giant also has two new estates including 700-hectare Vermosa in Imus and 800-hectare Southmont in Silang, both celebrating abundant living in the suburbs.
Megaworld is taking its live-work-play-learn philosophy to Gen. Trias through the 140-hectare Maple Grove. Its 561-hectare township of Southwoods in Carmona is one of the earlier leisure hubs set outside the metro. Also in Gen. Trias is the 600-hectare Riverpark of Federal Land NRE Global.
In Silang, Cathay Land is bringing a series of boutique condo suites in its 250-hectare South Forbes Golf City, providing options for modern vertical residences.
In the tourist hub of Tagaytay, SMDC launched new condo buildings in its 15-hectare development of Wind Residences. The strong demand for vacation places is continuously re-shaping how people utilize real estate on a global scale.
An ideal place to set roots
Cavite’s progress is evident. According to PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority), the province recorded a fast economic growth in 2022 at 9.2 percent. In 2023, it was at 6.7 percent. No wonder, Cavite was chosen to be the location of a government housing project for families affected by the Manila Bay cleanup.
Upstart families see Cavite’s high figures as a green light to finally own a home. The increasing number of affordable residential projects with friendly financing options help ease the country’s housing backlog, estimated by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) at 6.5 million as of early 2024.
APEC Homes recently launched three socialized subdivisions in Kawit, Naic, and Trece Martires. Phirst Park Homes also joined the Cavite market with new projects in Tanza, Gen. Trias, and Naic.
A more established community in Cavite with its 1,700-hectare development, Pro-Friends’ Lancaster New City recently ventured into a condo complex of 15 buildings. New villages in Tanza and Imus were introduced by the Duraville Group, sporting vibrant townhouse designs and hassle-free turnover inclusions.
Other developers including CitiHomes, Charles Builders, Homemark, and Raemulan Land have also built multiple projects around the province that are specially designed for first-time homemakers and investors.
With the number of residents in Cavite expected to increase, it is a strategic move to make employment and business opportunities available in the area. Suntrust’s 350-hectare Ecotown in Tanza and Cathay Land’s 70-hectare Mallorca City in Silang are two pioneering developments that thrive with an enterprise zone inside their respective community.
Cavite’s improving infrastructure, which includes the new and upcoming LRT-1 stations, supports the place with life-changing conveniences for its current and future residents. While opportunities in the Metro remain unrivaled due to its established central business districts, the long list of good options for a more comfortable home in Cavite is something worth considering.