Construction of the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project has reached nearly 60 percent completion, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on September 16 as the government broke ground for the subway station at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
“The whole Metro Manila Subway project has achieved nearly 60 percent overall progress, with construction activities underway across much of its alignment,” Marcos said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
The NAIA Terminal 3 station is part of Contract Package (CP) 109, which also includes the construction of connecting tunnels between Taguig City and Pasay City.
Once completed, the subway is expected to cut travel time between Valenzuela City and NAIA from about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 40 minutes.
Marcos said the project has reached two key milestones that would support its completion, including securing the right of way for the entire station area.
The project will also use underpinning technology from Japan, allowing construction to proceed beneath existing infrastructure while maintaining structural integrity.
“This progress reflects the cooperation of the government, the private sector, and all our other development partners,” Marcos said.
He called on contractors, engineers and workers to complete the project safely, efficiently and on schedule.
“I ask that you carry out this project safely, efficiently, and on time, with the quality that generations of Filipinos deserve,” Marcos said.
Right on track
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez said the subway project remains on track for completion by 2031, with operations expected to begin the following year.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the subway will have about 17 stations and is projected to serve between 400,000 and 800,000 passengers daily once fully operational.
Lopez said only CP 108 remains under procurement. The package will cover the subway section connecting the new Senate building to Lawton in Taguig City.
The subway project was initially targeted for completion in 2027, but the timeline was later moved to 2029 and then to 2032 because of right-of-way issues.
Lopez said one of the most difficult right-of-way issues involved properties inside Corinthian Gardens subdivision in Quezon City.
He said the issue was resolved following the enactment of Republic Act 12289, or the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act, last year.
“We no longer have a problem with that; the private owners have indeed agreed to a negotiated sale of their property,” Lopez told reporters in Filipino on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony.
The Metro Manila Subway is intended to provide a high-capacity rail connection across Metro Manila and reduce travel times along one of the country's most congested corridors.
