Marcos orders release of P44.17B for Metro Manila Subway, NSCR —DBM

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the release of P44.17 billion to expedite the implementation of the government’s two flagship railway initiatives—the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) Phase I and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Wednesday.

In a news release, the DBM said it released the amount to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) following the President’s directive.

The P44.17-billion fund will cover critical loan proceeds requirements to ensure construction timelines remain on track and momentum is sustained, according to the Budget Department.

The fund release was authorized through two Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) approved by Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo on March 23, 2026.

Moreover, the P44.17 billion fund release was charged against the Unprogrammed Appropriations under the Fiscal Year 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), specifically for Support to Foreign-Assisted Projects (SFAPs)—a mechanism that ensures critical infrastructure projects continue without delay once financing requirements are met.

Broken down, the DBM said P21.28 billion will fund the NSCR System and MMSP Phase I financed through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), while P22.88 billion will support the NSCR System under its loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The MMSP and NSCR, once completed, are expected to dramatically cut travel time, decongest major corridors, and provide safer, more efficient mobility for millions of daily commuters —transforming how people move across Metro Manila and nearby provinces according to the Budget Department. —RF, GMA Integrated News