Metro Manila Subway partial operations remain uncertain

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) is working to start the partial operations of the Metro Manila Subway by 2028, although the target remained uncertain as the project’s completion encountered delays.

“We are pushing for partial operations; we are discussing it… The whole line of the subway will be completed in 2032, that is our target,” Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon told reporters on the sidelines of a forum on Wednesday.

The Transportation department said it is working with the local government unit of Pasig to resolve right-of-way (RoW) issues for the Ortigas station of the Metro Manila subway project.

“The Ortigas station will definitely not be finished by 2028. We never promised that… We want to finish at least two to three stations by 2028,” he said.

Earlier, the DoTr said it is targeting to complete RoW acquisition for the Metro Manila Subway project by the first quarter of 2026.

In April, the agency said it is fast-tracking the project by addressing RoW issues, which is estimated at 59.12%.

The DoTr said previously that it is hoping to acquire up to 80% of the needed RoW by end of 2025, with the remainder completed by the first quarter.

The DoTr is also hoping to award the three remaining contract packages of the Metro Manila Subway project within the year. The remaining contract packages are valued at between P10 billion and P15 billion each.

Contract package (CP) 105 covers the construction of the station in Kalayaan Avenue and Bonifacio Global City; CP 108 covers the Lawton and Senate-DepEd stations; and CP 109 is the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 station.

The subway is 33 kilometers long with 17 stations. The goal is to cut travel time between Quezon City and NAIA to 35 minutes from over an hour currently. It is expected to accommodate up to 370,000 passengers daily. — Ashley Erika O. Jose