President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday met with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to discuss measures aimed at easing the daily commute for Filipinos, including faster train services, shorter queues, additional trains, and extended operating hours.
During the meeting at Malacañang Palace, DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez briefed the President on recent improvements to the country’s railway system.
President Marcos directed Lopez to prioritize commuter welfare, maintain clean and well-lit facilities, and ensure trains run reliably and on time.
Updates included the rehabilitation of the MRT Quezon Avenue Station, the ongoing rollout of cashless payment on MRT-3, the planned introduction of cashless payment on LRT-1 and LRT-2 later this year, and the refurbishment of remaining MRT-3 trains to benefit commuters.
Lopez also reported on major transportation infrastructure projects. Partial operations of the North-South Commuter Railway are expected to begin in 2027 from Valenzuela to Malolos, Bulacan, and in 2028 from Malolos to Clark.
The MRT-7, connecting Quezon City and Bulacan, is also targeted for partial operations in 2027. Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Subway is slated to start demo runs in 2028, with full operations projected by 2033.
In the same meeting, Lopez proposed extending the validity of new vehicle registrations to five years to ease motorists‚Äô burden, a measure that President Marcos initially approved upon the DOTr’s recommendation.
