The Department of Transportation (DOTr) reports that the ongoing Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) is now 30.55 percent complete, one of the big-ticket projects under the current administration.
The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) launching shafts are being prepared at the Valenzuela Depot [Image: DOTr Facebook page]
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan announced that 576 out of 6,400 tunnel rings required for the partial operability segment have been completed. More of the components are being assembled at the MMSP’s 7.5-hectare fabrication yard in Norzagaray, Bulacan.
“Despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, again, back-to-back major milestones were still realized despite all odds,” he said.
Officials from the DOTr and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) inspected the MMSP’s partial operability sections at the Valenzuela Depot, Tandang Sora in Quezon City, and the North Avenue Station. They were joined by Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Azukizawa Eigo.
One of the cutter heads which will be used to dig the subway tunnel [Image:DOTr Facebook page]
The Japanese government has committed a loan of 253.3 billion yen (Php 112.1 billion) for Phase 1 of the MMSP last February. This represents the second tranche of its official development assistance (ODA) loan, following the initial funding of 104.53 billion yen (Php 47.2 billion) signed in March 2018.
As part of the MMSP’s right-of-way acquisition, the DOTr has secured 197,000 square meters of land, including 585 structures from 324 property owners. The agency also signed a right-of-way agreement with the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) in December 2020, granting 50,000 square meters of DND-AFP land to the MMSP. An additional 60,000 and and 55,000 square meters of land will be used for the project’s tunneling works and temporary works, respectively.
The MMSP's North Avenue Station under construction [Image: DOTr Facebook page]
“This partnership forged between the DND-AFP and DOTr, under the leadership of (Defense) Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana and (Transport) Secretary (Arthur) Tugade will not only enable DOTr to fast track its access to construction and work sites needed for the subway, but also give DND and AFP a fair and recurring source of resources,” Batan added.
The MMSP will be the country’s first underground railway system, comprising 17 stations linking Quezon City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay. Once completed, it is expected to reduce travel time between these areas from the current one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes.
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