6 railway projects to connect new ‘Greater Capital Region’

With several major railway projects underway, the government is aiming to soon connect Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces, which would soon be collectively called the "Greater Capital Region."

The Metro Manila Subway Project, a 36-kilometer underground railway system, is expected to be partially operational with three stations in 2022, with full operations of all 15 stations slated for 2025.

The Metro Manila Subway will run from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay and FTI in Taguig. The subway will cross seven local governments, and passing through three of Metro Manila’s business districts.

The subway will be connected to the common station to be built on North EDSA, where the Light Rail Transit 1, Metro Rail Transit 3, and the MRT7 will intersect.

The LRT1, meanwhile, will be extended to reach Cavite by April. The MRT3 will also undergo a rehabilitation, that will see 20 coaches being deployed during peak hours, cutting waiting time from 7 to 10 minutes to 3.5 minutes.

Last February, construction work also began for the North-South Commuter Railway system, which will bring together the North-South Commuter Railway Phase 1, or the Malolos-Tutuban segment, and the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP) to create a 147-kilometer elevated, double-track, and seamless connection from Clark International Airport to Calamba in Laguna with 36 stations.

The NSCR system will also link with the LRT1, LRT2, and MRT3, as well as the upcoming Metro Manila Subway. It will b e partially operational by 2022, and fully operational by 2023.

"Ang government stated that we need to create that greater capital region which is practically a stitching together metro manila and greater metro manila area, ncr, region iii and region iv-a. and together, they can be a cohesive political economic social unit," said Philippine National Railways General Manager Junn Magno in a report on 24 Oras on Wednesday.

However, the government has yet to make advance payments for these railway projects — despite these alreadu underway — because the 2019 national budget has yet to be transmitted for President Rodrigo Duterte's approval.

"Batid naman po natin na mayroon pong kaunting hinihintay doon sa ating budget po para sa 2019," said Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan. — MDM, GMA News