The construction of the Metro Manila subway provides a strategic advantage for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), military chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Friday, Jan. 17.
Brawner made the remark a day after he graced the launching of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Metro Manila Subway Project’s Camp Aguinaldo Station (MMSP-CAS) in Quezon City on Thursday, Jan. 16.
“Our soldiers, our civilian staff, and their families will have increased access to reliable transit, allowing us to respond with greater speed and efficiency during emergencies,” Brawner said in a statement.
Further, Brawner said that not only the Metro Manila subway will benefit the AFP but it will also change the dynamic of transportation in the country for many Filipinos.
“This project is a bold statement to future generations. It tells them that we are not just addressing the present needs and challenges, but we are also laying firm foundations of a connected and sustainable future,” he said.
“The Subway Project is a catalyst for change, promising to make travel quicker, more efficient, safer, and far less stressful,” the AFP chief noted.
Under the MMSP’s Contract Package 103, four TBMs will be used to tunnel the Anonas and Camp Aguinaldo Stations.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino said more TBMs will be operating in the coming years to expedite the completion of the country’s first underground rail system.
“We will continue to add more tunnel boring machines. We expect the 19 TBMs to be operating in the coming years, to expedite construction of this subway project,” Regino said.
He added that despite a limited operating budget for 2025, the DOTr will go full blast in constructing railway projects to help alleviate traffic in Metro Manila and adjacent areas.
“The DOTr commits to go full blast with our projects this year despite budget constraints,” Regino said.
The transport executive likewise assured that the agency will address various issues that may hamper the construction of various big-ticket projects including right-of-way to fast-track its construction.
As of December 2025, the country’s first-ever underground railway’s overall construction progress is at 18.24 percent, according to DOTr.
Billed as the Philippines' "Crown Jewel" of mass transit system, the 33-kilometer Metro Manila subway will cut across eight cities from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque City.
Once completed, the rail system will cut travel time from Valenzuela City to Pasay City from one hour and 38 minutes to just 45 minutes, while servicing over half a million passengers daily.