By Emmie V. Abadilla
After a two-year delay, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) broke ground Wednesday at Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, the P355.6-billion Metro Manila Subway Project, the country’s first underground railway system dubbed the “project of the century.”
METRO SUBWAY GROUNDBREAKING – Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is joined by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda at the unveiling of the Tunnel Boring Machine that will be used to build the Metro Manila Subway Project during the project’s groundbreaking ceremony in Valenzuela City, Wednesday. With them are Transportation Undersecretary Timothy Batan; Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian; Yoshio Wada, chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency in the Philippines; Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno; MMDA Chair Danilo Lim; and Junn Magno, Philippine National Railways general manager. (Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN)
The railway system has a span of 36 kilometers with 15 stations crossing seven cities, passing three of Metro Manila's business districts all the way to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, in more or less 30 minutes. The subway is expected to run at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said they would closely monitor the subway project and appealed to the public to be patient as the massive project starts.
"The critics say it can never be done. The cynics say it is just a dream. We are pleased to announce today’s groundbreaking ceremony of the Metro Manila Subway, which will be the first-ever underground railway system in the Philippines," Panelo said.
"The Office of the President will be monitoring the progress of this project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr (Department of Transportation) and all agencies involved as they endeavor to deliver this facility to our countrymen," he added.
Just a week ago, the DOTr signed the main contract, or the first part of the design and build contract, for the Metro Manila Subway's first three stations, or its partially operable section.
The Shimizu Joint Venture of the Shimizu Corporation, Fujita Corporation, Takenaka Civil Engineering Co., Ltd. and EEI Corporation will design and build this specific section of the subway.
The section consists of the first three underground stations - Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue, along with the tunnel structure, the Valenzuela Depot. The joint venture will likewise construct the building and facilities for the Philippine Railway Institute.
The Metro Manila Subway is among the flagship projects under the Duterte Administration’s infrastructure program. The first three stations are slated to be partially operable by 2022.
By 2025, the subway will be fully operational. In its first year of full operations alone, it will serve up to 370,000 passengers per day, with a capacity of up to 1.5 million passengers per day.
It has world-class design features, water-stop panels, doors, a high-level entrance for flood prevention, earthquake detection, and a train stop system, just like subways in Tokyo.
Japanese technology
There’s no stopping the construction of the Metro Manila Subway, pledged DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade
“A railway system running underground in this country will soon become a reality. Of course there will be some inconvenience along the way, but that is nothing compared to the long-lasting comfort this project will bring to the Filipino people,” he noted.
The signing of the contract for the subway's partial operability section further exhibits the strong cooperation between Japan and the Philippines, added Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding the project via a P45-billion loan.
Chief Representative Yoshio Wada, expressed JICA’s commitment to fully support the Philippine Government towards the fast and sure realization of the Metro Manila Subway Project.
"It is our honor to assist the Government of the Philippines to implement this historical flagship project in Metro Manila," he stated.
"We appreciate the fact that our Japanese technology will be utilized for this project and make Filipino people's life better by mitigating congestion in the city with safe and punctual Japanese railway culture."
In line with the upcoming construction of the Metro Manila Subway, Secretary Tugade inspected the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM), subway flood control equipment and other technological advancements and practices in railways during his recent visit in Japan.
Pre-construction activities for the segment of the Official Development Assistance (ODA)-financed project, was originally scheduled to be completed within the fourth quarter of 2017 to the third quarter of 2018. (With a report from Genalyn D. Kabiling)