The Department of Transportation said Monday construction of two underground stations and tunnels in Quezon City for the P488.5 billion Metro Manila Subway Project had started.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the MMSP’s Contract Package 103 that the railway project “will not only boost the country’s transportation infrastructure, but will also improve the public’s living standards and propel the country’s economic rebound.”
Contract Package 103 involves civil works-build only contract for two underground stations of the subway in Anonas and Katipunan which would be referred to as Anonas and Camp Aguinaldo stations.
It also covers the tunnels situated within Quezon City, with a total route length of 6.604 kilometers connecting Quezon City and Pasig City.
“Today is another critical step towards that aspiration towards the convenience and comfort of Filipino commuters towards a transport infrastructure that catalyzes economic rebound,” Bautista said.
“The socio-economic benefits of the MMSP even exceeds our expectations,” he said.
Bautista said the government is committed to building global public transportation for Filipinos as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Build, Better, More infrastructure development program.
“We promised President Bongbong Marcos a global-standard transport system,” he said.
Bautista also expressed gratitude to the Japanese government and Department of National Defense for supporting the country’s first underground railway.
Dubbed as the Philippines’ “Crown Jewel” of mass transit system, the Japan-funded Metro Manila Subway will cut across eight cities that will stretch from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque City, with a spur line to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
The subway will have a 33-kilometer route length and 17 stations which would cut travel time between Quezon City and NAIA in Pasay City to 45 minutes.
Once operational, the railway system can service up to 519,000 passengers daily.