President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday inspected the ongoing construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) at its Camp Aguinaldo Station and expressed optimism that the line’s partial operations, specifically the Valenzuela to Ortigas segment, could begin by 2028.
The president said the underground rail system, currently being built from Valenzuela to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, will reduce the two- to two-and-a-half-hour travel time between these points to just around 40 minutes once completed.
“This is a huge thing. Travel time will be greatly reduced, and the journey of our commuters will be more convenient,” President Marcos said during a media interview.
He said the government is targeting the partial completion and potential inauguration of the Valenzuela to Ortigas stretch by 2028, emphasizing the need to fast-track work to benefit commuters sooner.
He commended the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Japanese-led engineering teams involved in the massive infrastructure project. Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa joined the site visit, underscoring Japan’s commitment to ensuring quality work.
“The Japanese are recognized as among the best in heavy engineering. I think we picked the right partner,” President Marcos said, adding that he was impressed with the tunnel boring machines used on site.
Beyond the technical accomplishments, President Marcos noted the significant knowledge transfer taking place at the project, with Japanese supervisors training Filipino engineers and workers.
“Most of the engineers working here are Filipinos. There are only one or two Japanese supervisors. It’s nice to see that Filipinos are very capable as long as they are given the right training,” he said.
The 33-kilometer subway, the first of its kind in the Philippines, is expected to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila and form part of a broader initiative to modernize the country’s public transport infrastructure.
