The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the Metro Manila Subway, the first underground railway system in the Philippines, is on track for partial opening from Valenzuela City to North Ave. in Quezon City by 2028.
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the partial operations would extend to Ortigas, Pasig City by 2029. He said the construction progress was now at 15.57 percent.
Billed as the Philippines’ “crown jewel” of mass transit system, the Metro Manila Subway will cut across eight cities from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque City, with a spur line to Ninoy Aquino Interantional Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
The 33-kilometer and 17-station rail line aims to cut travel time between Quezon City and NAIA from one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes.
Once operational, the underground railway system can service up to 370,000 passengers daily.
Meanwhile, the DOTr said the viaducts between Bocaue and Balagtas stations of the North-South Commuter Railway System (NSCR) were connected on Friday.
The Viaduct Span Connection involves the NSCR’s Contract Package 01, which covers the Malolos-Tutuban segment’s elevated structures with six stations and one depot.
Contract Package 02 includes elevated structures with three stations all in Bulacan. The overall progress of the NSCR is at 51.46 percent, with construction progress at 23.5 percent.
Bautista said that once the NSCR is completed, the rail line will improve connectivity and mobility between Bulacan and Metro Manila.
“The NSCR would usher in a railway renaissance, reviving the once trailblazing rail industry in the Philippines,” he said.
Once operational, the 147-km rail line will connect key cities in Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila and Laguna, reducing end-to-end travel time between Clark International Airport in Pampanga and Calamba, Laguna from four hours via road to less than two hours via train.
The NSCR System is expected to service 800,000 passengers daily.
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