Fresh from his Singapore trip, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. led the groundbreaking ceremony of a portion of Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) where he expressed optimism about the fruitful results it would yield.
"As we break the ground for this portion of our subway system, we fervently hope to soon enjoy the benefits that it brings to the general public," Marcos said in his speech.
He led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Contract Package 104 (CP104) of the MMSP - Ortigas and Shaw Boulevard Stations and Tunnels on Monday, Oct. 3.
He expressed optimism that the project that is expected to benefit around 150,000 passengers a day by 2028 would not only cut the travel time of commuters, sparing themselves the perils of commuting, but would also lead to more business opportunities and additional economic activity.
"With accessible designated stations that can cater to a massive volume of passengers, we anticipate helping our people skip the long lines of traffic and even spare themselves from the perils of commuting," the President said.
"With the improved linkages of key areas and business districts in the metro as well as the availability of stalls and other stores in the stations and nearby markets, we can see more business opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors, and additional economic activity," he added.
The Metro Manila Subway is by far one of the Philippines’ largest infrastructure projects that would create an efficient railway system in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The first phase, CP104, would cost P17.75 billion. It will be constructed by the winning contractor, Tokyu-Tobishima Megawide Joint Venture (TTM-JV).
Marcos encouraged the public and all stakeholders to be patient and optimistic amid the disruption the years-long construction would bring.
"Although it is a given that the construction of these structures will take time and cause disruption, let us be optimistic and just count these small inconveniences as a small price to pay for the fruitful results that this program, this project will yield," he said.
He also assured the public that his administration "will take the lead in identifying, pursuing, and implementing projects as part of the Build Better More Infrastructure Agenda that we have laid out."
With assistance and funding from the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is aiming to partially commence operations of the subway in 2025.
The Chief Executive was in Singapore over the weekend in time for the Singapore Grand Prix, Malacañang confirmed, adding that the visit was one of the offshoot of his State Visit to the country last month.