DOTr sets ultimate groundbreaking date for Metro Manila Subway on Feb. 27

An artist's rendition of the proposed Metro Manila Subway funded by official development assistance from Japan. The image was released by the Department of Transportation on Thursday, Feb.21, 2019. DOTr

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has set the ultimate date to break ground for the planned Metro Manila Subway as transport officials are now in Japan to fast-track the construction of the rail system.

The DOTr said Thursday the groundbreaking  will happen at 9 a.m. on Feb. 27.

The Metro Manila Subway groundbreaking has been reset several times. It was supposed to take place in December 2018, but was rescheduled to mid-January 2019.

The groundbreaking was delayed due to conflict of schedules with Japanese officials, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said.

The ¥104.530-billion or P51-billion loan agreement for the Metro Manila Subway was signed by the Philippine government and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in March 2018.

DOTr officials are now in Osaka, Japan to inspect machines for tunnel boring, which will be used for the Metro Manila Subway project.

Japanese consortium OCGlobal, consisting of six Japanese firms, bagged the P11-billion contract to build the Metro Manila Subway.

The consortium consists of the following companies:

• Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd.

• Pacific Consultants Co. Ltd.

• Metro Development Co. Ltd.

• Katahira & Engineers International

• Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd.

• Tonichi Engineering Consultants Inc.

The rail system is planned to stretch 30 kilometers, covering 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City and FTI in Taguig City.

It has a provision for a 5-km extension and two additional stations to connect with the Light Rail Transit Line 1.

The DOTr is targeting to have three stations operating in 2022— Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue.

The subway is envisioned to shorten commuting time from Quezon City to the airport to under 40 minutes, with the entire railway system targeted to be completed in 2025. —VDS, GMA News