Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie “Wes” Gatchalian has expressed his full support to the national government’s Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), the country’s first underground railway system.
He made his commitment of support during the launching of the project’s Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) No. 1 “Kaunlaran” (the first of six machines to be used to excavate tunnels underground) at the MMSP Depot in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela on Monday, Jan. 9.
The launch was attended by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and other national and local government officials.
“Mister President , you and your administration can always count on Valenzuela City’s full support, as well as our smooth and efficient coordination, as we proceed “Full Speed Ahead” with the implementation of the Metro Manila Subway Project. Together, we Build Better More!,” the mayor told the president.
The city government said that the administration’s MMSP, dubbed as the “Project of the Century,” is a 33.1-kilometer underground railway with 17 stations running from Valenzuela to Parañaque City.
The project aims to reduce travel time between Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay from one hour and 10 minutes to only 35 minutes, it added.
It also said that once the MMSP is operational, it is expected to serve around 519,000 passengers daily
The local government added that the railway project will help the residents of Valenzuela and other cities on transportation and job opportunities.
Gatchalian told the President that in addressing the Department of Transportation’s concern on the relocation of residents in line with MMSP, the city government has already relocated 183 informal settler families who were living near the project and accomplished 90 percent of the documentation requirements.
The city government said that the TBM “Kaunlaran” was finally launched after it underwent a final “Site Acceptance Test” in December 2022. It arrived at the Manila Port in February 2021.
The launching of the machine will kickstart the tunneling works of the project, the local government added.
Present during the event were Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Embassy of Japan to the Philippines Minister Matsuda Kenichi, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema, Oriental Consultants Global President Eiji Yonezawa, Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, JV Ejercito and Mark Villar, Valenzuela First Dirstrict Rep. Rexlon “Rex” Gatchalian, and Second District Rep. Eric Martinez.
Read more: Tunneling on P488.5-B Metro Manila Subway starts today, Gov’t to improve PH transport system — Marcos