The LRVs date from 1999 and are the second-generation vehicles operating on the 20.7km LRT-1 which links Roosevelt in the north of Manila with Baclaran in the south. LRT-1 carries more than 400,000 passengers per day.

Voith will start work on the project at the end of 2018 and expects to complete the traction and vehicle control upgrade by 2020.