Marcos sees faster timeline for Metro Manila subway project

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday said the construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project is now faster than the original timetable.

“I'm happy to report that the progress is proceeding. And the work is proceeding and we are very much on schedule. In fact, from the original timetable, we have accelerated the process and we are moving even more quickly than that,” Marcos said in his speech. 

The President made the remarks after he inspected the construction at Shaw Boulevard Station in Pasig City and led the groundbreaking of Kalayaan Avenue Station and BGC Station in Taguig City on Friday morning.

Earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said that the agency is targeting to conduct a demo run of the Metro Manila Subway Project by the first quarter of 2028.

The Metro Manila Subway Project will be the Philippines' first subway system spanning 33.1 kilometers, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

With 17 stations, the underground railway system will run from Valenzuela City to Taguig City, with a connection to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City.  

The project is financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under a loan agreement, the PCO said.

According to Marcos, more than P49 billion has been released this year for the railway sector under the DOTr, including station upgrades and accessibility improvements.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to serve approximately 500,000 passengers daily and will have an end-to-end travel time of about 46 minutes, the PCO said. —AOL, GMA Integrated News