Construction begins on PH's first subway line

Construction broke ground Wednesday on the Philippines' first ever subway line, the most ambitious among the Duterte administration's infrastructure projects.

The Metro Manila Subway Project is 36 kilometers long, covers seven cities, and has 15 stations - from Quirino Highway in Quezon City, all the way to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and is being built to the tune of over P357 billion.

Three stations are scheduled to be operational by 2022 but the entire system is expected to be completed in 2025.

TJ Batan, Undersecretary for Rails of the Department of Transportation (DOTr said at least 5,000 jobs are expected to be generated from the subway project during construction, and 2,000 jobs once it begins operations.

"That's just the direct employment that the project is expected to generate, because...there's a lot of secondary and support services that is going to create much more jobs," he said.

He also assured the public the construction of the subway system will have a minimal impact on traffic.

Speaking to CNN Philppines' New Day, Batan said, "It will create some necessary road diversions aboveground, but one of the good things about a subway compared to your more traditional elevated railway, is that the disruption is only going to happen where the stations are located."

DOTr: Metro Manila subway project to generate at least 5,000 jobs pic.twitter.com/dRjnKvyC0T

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) February 26, 2019

According to Batan, the subway system can withstand flooding during construction and once it becomes fully operational.

In a statement Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo said the subway system is a "a major transformational project in mass transport in the country."

He added, they are requesting the administrations to succeed Duterte's to keep the momentum until the system is fully completed.

"The Office of the President will be monitoring the progress of this project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr and all agencies involved as they endeavor to deliver this facility to our countrymen," he said.

The Metro Manila Subway Project is the most expensive project of the government under the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

It is expected to cut travel time from the northmost station — Quirino Avenue — to NAIA from the usual two to three hours to a mere 30 minutes.

The subway system is also expected to serve more than 300,000 passengers daily.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/02/27/metro-manila-subway-project-construction-dotr.html

Palace asks next admins for continuity of Metro Manila subway construction

As the Department of Transportation (DOTr) breaks ground for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway system, Malacañang has called on the next administrations to exert all efforts until the multi-billion project is fully completed.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the appeal Wednesday, just hours after the ceremonial groundbreaking of the project in Valenzuela City.

The project is an expansive 36-kilometer railway system, which will have 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the Naia Terminal 3 in Pasay and FTI in Taguig.

The DOTr is targeting partial operability by 2022, which marks the end of the Duterte administration.

“With this foundation, we request succeeding administrations to exert the same effort until the railway system is fully completed,” Panelo said in a statement.

The Palace official also hit back at the critics of what it called the “project of the century.”

“The critics say it can never be done. The cynics say it is just a dream. We are pleased to announce today’s groundbreaking ceremony of the Metro Manila Subway, which will be the first-ever underground railway system in the Philippines,” Panelo said.

“The Metro Manila Subway has been dubbed as the project of the century as it is considered a major transformational project in mass transport in the country,” he added.

Panelo further assured that Malacañang will be monitoring the progress of the project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr and all agencies involved.

“We also ask the public to remain patient as it is us who will greatly benefit from gains of this major infrastructure project in the near future,” Panelo noted.

The multi-billion Metro Manila subway is among the flagship projects under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. /je

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1090332/palace-asks-next-admins-for-continuity-of-metro-manila-subway-construction

Palace to monitor subway project's progress, asks public to be patient

Malacañang vowed to monitor the progress of the Metro Manila Subway project, which broke ground in Valenzuela City on Wednesday.

Once it becomes serviceable, the riding public can travel from Quezon City to the NAIA Terminal 3 in just 30 minutes.

There will be 15 stations, and the first three stations will be operational in 2022, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The entire 30-kilometer railway system is targeted to be completed in 2025.

“Critics say it can never be done. The cynics say it is just a dream. We are pleased to announce today’s groundbreaking ceremony of the Metro Manila Subway, which will be the first-ever underground railway system in the Philippines,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

“The Office of the President will be monitoring the progress of this project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr and all agencies involved as they endeavor to deliver this facility to our countrymen,” he added.

Panelo also asked the public to remain patient “as it is us who will greatly benefit from gains of this major infrastructure project in the near future.”

“With this foundation, we request succeeding administrations to exert the same effort until the railway system is fully completed,” he said.

The flagship project under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program will be built with the support of the Government of Japan through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan amounting to ¥104.530-billion or P51-billion loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). —LBG, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/686317/palace-to-monitor-subway-project-s-progress-asks-public-to-be-patient/story/

Metro Manila Subway breaks ground

Officials on Wednesday broke ground on the Metro Manila subway, the country's first underground rail system that is among the flagship projects under President Rodrigo Duterte's P8 trillion infrastructure program.

The 36-kilometer subway will stretch from Valenzuela on the capital's northern end to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, promising as fast as 30 minutes of travel time from end to end, the Department of Transportation said.

The government earlier said it hoped to open the first 3 stations in Valenzuela, Tandang Sora and North Avenue before Duterte's term ends in 2022.

"Inaugurating and groundbreaking is one thing, finishing it is another. We will finish this in 2022. Sabi nga sa Ingles, I will be watching you... This is what we want to achieve. Sa mga nagdududa, maniwala kayo," said Transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the Duterte government would finish the subway project "as fast as we can, as well as we can and without any whiff of corruption."

The subway spans 7 cities and municipalities and 3 business districts. A joint venture including Shimizu Corp, Fujita Corp and Takenaka Civil Engineering Co of Japan and EEI Corp from the Philippines was tapped to design and build the first 3 stations, the DOTr said.

It will connect to the MRT-3, the LRT-2 and the Philippine National Railway lines, according to Transportation Usec for railways Timothy Batan.

The Metro Manila Subway will leverage on Japanese technology to make the structure flood and earthquake-proof, the DOTr said.

A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency estimated daily economic losses in Metro Manila due to traffic had risen to P3.5 billion.

Last November, the government opened the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, an airport-style structure that serves as a hub for buses and jeepney in the south of the capital.

@DOTrPH targets 2022 to operate 3 out of 15 Metro Manila Subway stations, while full operations in 2025. With speed of 80kph, travel time from Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3 will go down to 30mins

— Jacque Manabat (@jacquemanabat) February 27, 2019

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/27/19/metro-manila-subway-breaks-ground

DOTr breaks ground for Metro Manila subway project

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday broke ground to start the construction of the first three stations of the Metro Manila Subway system.

Speaking at the groundbreaking rites in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade gave assurance that the government would keep an eye on the project, which is funded by a loan from Japan.

“Inaugurating and groundbreaking is one thing, finishing it is another. We will finish this in 2022. Sabi nga sa Ingles, I will be watching you. This is what we want to achieve. Sa mga nagdududa, maniwala kayo,” Tugade said.

The multi-billion Metro Manila subway is among the flagship projects under the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Last week, the DOTr signed the main contract of the subway’s depot and first three stations, or its partial operability section, along with the structures and facilities of the Philippine Railway Institute.

READ: DOTr inks deal for Metro Manila subway’s first 3 stations

The first three stations consist of the Quirino Highway-Mindanao Avenue Station, Tandang Sora Station, and North Avenue Station.

The project is an expansive 36-kilometer railway system, which will have 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the Naia Terminal 3 in Pasay and FTI in Taguig.

With a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour, the DOTr said the subway would cut travel time from Quezon City to Naia Terminal 3 to just 30 minutes.

The DOTr is targeting partial operability by 2022, while full operations would be in 2025.

Around 370,000 passengers are expected to benefit from the subway daily in its first year of full operations.

The Metro Manila Subway will be built with the support of the Japanese government through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). /cbb

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1090250/dotr-breaks-ground-for-metro-manila-subway-project

Construction of Metro Manila Subway begins

Once fully operational in 2025, the Philippines' first intercity underground railway will connect Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City within 30 minutes

METRO MANILA SUBWAY. Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda (leftmost) and beside him, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the Metro Manila Subway on February 27, 2019. Screenshot from RTVM video

The construction of the Philippines' first intercity underground railway officially started Wednesday, February 27.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, along with other government officials and Japanese partners, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the P356.96-billion Metro Manila Subway on Wednesday in Valenzuela City.

"When we announced that we are doing the subway, many sectors did not believe. Marami hong nagduda...pati na ho 'yung utter disbelief. Ang sabi ho nila, 'Subway station? Drawing lang 'yan....' Sir, ma'am, ang subway station ay totoo at totoo at totoo," Tugade said in a speech.

(When we announced that we are doing the subway, many sectors did not believe. Many were doubtful...and even expressed utter disbelief. They said, "Subway station? That's a far-fetched plan...." Sir, ma'am, the subway station is true, true, true.)

The DOTr aims to have the first 3 stations of the 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway running by 2022.

A Filipino-Japanese joint venture will design and build these first 3 stations – Mindanao Avenue-Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue. The joint venture is composed of Shimizu Corporation, Fujita Corporation, Takenaka Civil Engineering Company Ltd, and EEI Corporation.

By 2025, all 15 stations should be fully operational, connecting Quirino Highway to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City within 30 minutes. Subway trains will run at up to 80 kilometers per hour.

"Matagal nang deprived ang mga Pilipino ng ganitong uri ng mass transit (Filipinos have long been deprived of this kind of mass transit), and we will not take our sweet time. We will deliver this subway to the Filipino people as fast as we can, as well as we can, and without any whiff of corruption," said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea in a speech.

The Shimizu joint venture will also construct the depot in Valenzuela City, electromechanical systems and rolling stock, and the facilities of the Philippine Railway Institute.

More than 180 families affected by the first phase of construction will be relocated to Barangay Bignay in Valenzuela City.

'World-class' subway

The Metro Manila Subway will be connected to the Light Rail Transit Line 1 and Metro Rail Transit Lines 3 and 7 via a common station along EDSA.

The DOTr gave assurances that the subway will use "proven Japanese technologies to make the system resilient against natural disasters," given that the capital region is prone to floods.

In a speech, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda said "Japan vows nothing but a world-class mass transit system."

"Far beyond financing and cutting-edge technology, the Philippines can count on Japan to impart our extensive experience not only in subway construction, but also in railway operation and maintenance," added Haneda.

In March 2018, the Philippine government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a ¥104.53-billion (P49.08-billion) loan agreement for the subway, the first in a series of deals.

Of the total project cost, 73% (¥573.73 billion) will be funded by JICA through a loan arrangement comprising 3 to 4 tranches. The remaining 27% (¥215.16 billion) will be shouldered by the Philippine government.

The groundbreaking was originally targeted for December 2018, but was pushed back to February due to scheduling issues.

Other Cabinet members – Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar – also attended Wednesday's event.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim, Senate committee on public services vice chairman JV Ejercito, House committee on transportation chairman Cesar Sarmiento, and Valenzuela City, Malabon City, and Quezon City politicians were present as well.

https://www.rappler.com/business/224469-construction-metro-manila-subway-begins-february-2019

Ground broken for first Metro Manila subway

Construction on the first Metro Manila subway officially began Wednesday, February 27, with the big-ticket project seen to ease traffic gridlock in the capital when completed in 2025.

The Department of Transportation initially planned to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the project last December 19, but this was pushed back to January and again rescheduled to February due to conflicts in schedule of Philippine and Japanese officials.

In March 2018, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Japan International Cooperation Agency Chief Representative Yoshio Wada inked the first tranche of a loan deal for the initial phase of a 30-km underground railway, which is estimated to cost P356.96 billion.

The big-ticket project has a total loan financing requirement of P259.6 billion, the biggest amount committed by JICA to a single country. The Japanese funding for the project will be sliced in three to four tranches.

The subway project will have 14 to 16 stations and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Meanwhile, partial operation of the first three stations is set in 2022.

Line to connect Quezon City to Pasay

Once finished, the first underground railroad in the Philippines will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s premier gateway.

According to Dominguez, the plan for the subway line envisions a “north zone” that will extend to Bulacan and a “south zone” that will stretch to Cavite.

The flagship infrastructure project will have commercial spaces that will be leased to help pay the hefty Japanese loan and defray the cost of operating the facility.

As he charts an "independent foreign policy" while lessening his country's dependence on traditional treaty ally, the US, President Rodrigo Duterte has courted regional rivals China and Japan to help foot the bill for the country's P8-9 trillion infrastructure plan.

A recent study by JICA found that road congestion in Manila cost the economy P3.5 billion daily in 2017.

The Duterte administration is depending on a mix of foreign borrowings, budgetary allocations and private funding for its ambitious infrastructure push. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral

https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/02/27/1897181/ground-broken-first-metro-manila-subway

P355.6-B Metro subway launched today

By Emmie V. Abadilla

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is scheduled to break ground today (Feb. 27, 2019) at Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela the P355.6 -billion Metro Manila Subway Project, the country’s first underground railway system dubbed as the “project of the century.”

The railway system will stretch 36 kilometers, with 15 stations, crossing 7 local governments, passing 3 of Metro Manila’s business districts, connecting all to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, in almost 30 minutes or less.

Just a week ago, the DOTr signed the main contract, or the first part of the design and build contract, for the Metro Manila Subway’s first three stations, or its partially operable section.

The Shimizu Joint Venture of the Shimizu Corporation, Fujita Corporation, Takenaka Civil Engineering Co., Ltd. and EEI Corporation will do the design and build of this specific section of the subway.

The section consists of the first three underground stations – Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue, along with the tunnel structure, the Valenzuela Depot. The joint venture will likewise construct the building and facilities for the Philippine Railway Institute.

The Metro Manila Subway is among the flagship projects under the Duterte Administration’s infrastructure program and the first three stations are slated to be partially operable by 2022.

By 2025, the subway will be fully operational. In its first year of full operations alone, it will serve up to 370,000 passengers per day, with a capacity for up to 1.5 million passengers per day.

Its world-class design features water-stop panels, doors, a high-level entrance for flood prevention, earthquake detection, along with a train stop system, just like subways in Tokyo.

There’s no stopping the construction of the Metro Manila Subway, pledged DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding the project via a P45-billion loan.

https://business.mb.com.ph/2019/02/26/p355-6-b-metro-subway-launched-today/