In 2013, feasibility studies were conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a southward extension of the LRT Line 1 to Cavite.

[10] On October 16, 2015, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) invited train manufacturers to tender for the purchase of 120 light rail vehicles; Japanese companies were only allowed to bid.

[14] Two bidders showed up: Marubeni with Hyundai Rotem, and Mitsubishi Corporation with Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF).

[20] Officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) unveiled a full-scale mock-up model of the 13000 class train on May 7, 2019.

[26] The trains then underwent 1,000-kilometer (620 mi) test runs conducted by the Light Rail Manila Corporation on May 4, 2022.

[29] A few months before the trains entered service, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez disclosed on February 16, 2023, that water leaks were found in eighty LRVs that were delivered to the Philippines.

He further disclosed that as a result, these could not be used in mainline operations, and the government suspended payments to Mitsubishi and CAF in July 2022.

Initially, the trains were to sport a silver-yellow livery,[33] but was changed to crimson and silver[34] after the mock-up model was unveiled in 2019.

As opposed to the older rolling stock, the 13000 class includes hand straps aside from safety handrails installed above the train floor.

Semi-permanent couplers are installed at the ends of every light rail vehicle, except for the driving cab section of the head car.

[6] These trains are easily recognizable by their distinctive braking sounds, which produce a screeching noise when stopping.

[7] Auxiliary power is sourced from a static inverter, a low-power DC voltage supply, and batteries.