The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is working closely with the subway contractor to accelerate the construction of the P488.5-billion Metro Manila Subway Project to bring much-needed relief to hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.
“As the President said, it will be a great relief for commuters once this segment is operational so that we can at least alleviate the hardship of their daily commute,” Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said.
“We will work with the contractor to expedite the construction,” he said.
The agency earlier awarded the Contract Page 101, covering four stations—East Valenzuela, Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue—and the depot and the Philippine Railway Institute Building a joint venture led by EEI Corp., while the CP 102, comprising the stations in Quezon Avenue and East Avenue, bagged by D.M. Consunji Inc
CP 103, was awarded to Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd., which involves the stations from Anonas to Camp Aguinaldo; and CP 104, which covers the Ortigas to Shaw Boulevard segment, awarded to Megawide Construction Corp.
“I hope we can finish it all the way to Valenzuela by 2028. Maybe we can inaugurate it,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said
“Everyone agrees that it needs to be expedited so that their commute will be more convenient,” he said.
Billed as the Philippines’ “Crown Jewel” of mass transit system, the Metro Manila Subway will cut across eight cities stretching from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque City with a spur line to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
The 33-kilometer and 17-station rail line aims to cut travel time between Quezon City and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City from the present one hour and 10 minutes to just 45 minutes.
Once operational, the underground railway system can service up to519,,000 passengers daily.
The MMSP represents a monumental investment in the Philippines’ transportation future, with an estimated total cost of P488.5 billion. This significant sum is being financed through a strategic combination of international and domestic contributions.
A substantial portion of the project, specifically P370.7 billion, will be financed through an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This underscores the strong bilateral partnership between the Philippines and Japan, with Japanese expertise and funding playing a crucial role in realizing the country’s first underground mass transit system.
The remaining P117.7 billion of the total project cost will be covered by the Philippine government. This commitment from the national government highlights its dedication to addressing Metro Manila’s severe traffic congestion and improving the daily commute for millions of Filipinos.
