DOTr intends to complete 18 airport maintenance projects before Marcos' SONA

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said Tuesday that the agency intends to complete the maintenance of 18 airports by June.

At a Palace press briefing, Bautista was asked about the projects needed to be finished before President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address.

"We are looking at completing airport maintenance. Around 18 airports in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao must be completed. The projects will be completed by June," Bautista said.

"We also reported ports that will be completed before June, around 20 of these. And, of course, road sector projects, which will include the construction of the mga bike lanes and there are more projects for example in the rail sector," he added.

Bautista reported to Marcos the finalization of different contract packages for the North-South Commuter Railway, as well as the contract packages for the Metro Manila Subway.

The Metro Manila subway will have 17 stations connecting Valenzuela City to Pasay City and is expected to serve over 519,000 passengers daily once it becomes operational.

Bautista said the DOTr has also reported developments in relation to the completion of railway projects that include the MRT7, which the agency expects to be completed by June of 2025, as well as the extension of LRT1 from Baclaran to Sucat, which are expected to be completed by 2024. —KG, GMA Integrated News