The P488.48 billion Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) has reached a 30.55 percent completion rate as of last month, the Department of Transportation(DOTr) announced on Tuesday, March 8.
In a statement, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the fast progress of the construction can also be attributed to the coordination with the local government unit of Valenzuela City for the relocation of 183 informal settlers.
Batan added that the acquisition of 197,000 square meters of land and 585 structures from 324 property owners; and the ongoing manufacturing of pre-cast concrete tunnel rings at the 7.5-hectare Fabrication Yard in Norzagaray, Bulacan also expedited the process.
"All in all, leading to an overall project completion rate of 30.55% for the Metro Manila Subway Project as of February 2022," he said.
In a statement, Batan also cited the yearly development of the project, starting with the 27 billion contract for 240 subway train cars to the Sumitomo Corp. and the Japan Transport Engineering Co. (J-Trec) Joint Venture in December 2020, and the P66 billion contract for the subway's electromechanical systems to Mitsubishi Corporation in October 2021.
It was also in February 2021, the the subway's first 2 out of 25 tunnel boring machines arrived.
The subway will provide mass transit in the National Capital Region (NCR) from Valenzuela City to FTI in Taguig City, Parañaque City, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City, and will further extend to the North and South zones of the region.
According to the DOTr, the length of the Phase 1 route is approximately 36 kilometers with a 30-hectare depot, which will house the Philippine Railways Institute (PRI) at Valenzuela City.
It added that the Metro Manila Subway will have 17 stations, namely East Valenzuela, Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, Camp Aguinaldo, Ortigas, Shaw, Kalayaan, BGC, Lawton Station, Senate, FTI, Bicutan, and NAIA Terminal 3.
Once operational, it will reduce travel time between Quezon City and NAIA to 35 minutes.