A JOURNEY DOWN MEMORY RAILS

The LRT-1 has long been a bastion of mass transport in the north of the metro.

- Gabriel Pe

Opened to the public in 1984, it's the country's first light rail train system, serving Filipino commuters for four decades now. It is expected to serve more when its south-bound extension is completed later this year.

With its long years of service, the LRT-1 has seen history being made. It has seen 8 presidential terms, ferried people to two people power revolutions, and was targeted in a terror attack at the in the Rizal Day Bombings of 2000. And, just as storied as the tracks, LRT-1 also stands on storied grounds.

Bringing these stories and history to commuters and history enthusiasts alike is the raison d'etre behind the LRT-1 Heritage Transit Tour, a joint project between Light Rail Manila Corporation and the cultural group Renacimiento Manila.

GADGETS Magazine was fortunate to join one of the Heritage Transit Tours. Like all tourgoers, we each received a Beep card with an unlimited ride credit for one day, which can be used to visit other stops of the LRT-1 tracks.

A GLIMPSE OF THE TOUR

The transit tour takes you through four LRT stations. It starts at Central Terminal Station, the central point of the whole line (at least prior to the line extensions). Here, we learned about the land where Central Terminal stands, and its role in the 1762 British occupation of Manila.