Quezon City District 1 councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. is challenging the construction of the P356.96-billion Metro Manila subway system, calling on the city government to hold in abeyance the issuance of relevant permits for the project
He said the Department of Transportation has a lot of explaining to do to convince the 37-member city council and other stakeholders that the underground railway system would actually benefit the city.
“The subway project will likewise have an effect on property and land valuation in Quezon City, which has to be looked into considering its potential impact on the city’s generation of revenue,” Ferrer’s proposed resolution read.
Ferrer, a certified public accountant, cited Section 27 of the Local Government Code that “no project be implemented by government authorities unless the required consultations are complied with and prior approval of the Sanggunian is obtained, provided, that occupants, and other concerned sectors of the community before any project or program is implemented in a local government unit’s jurisdiction.”
The first phase of the construction shall include the subway stations along North Avenue and Tandang Sora.
The District 1 councilor said these two areas “have numerous business establishments and are densely populated” as he asked DoTr if an infrastructure project of such magnitude would not affect the residents and business establishments.
He said the project “will surely have a huge impact on all the residents of Quezon City.”
He told DoTR that public consultations are needed before the council could pass a resolution that the 36-kilometer subway project “has no further objection or concerns.”
The subway project, once fully operational in 2025, would connect Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City within 30 minutes.