Metro Manila Subway to be fully operational in six years – DOTr

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday projected that the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2029.

The Metro Manila subway has 17 stations stretching from Valenzuela City to Parañaque City.

Six of the stations interconnect with Metro Rail Transit.

These stations are Line 3 (MRT-3), Light Rail Transit – Line 1 (LRT-1), MRT-7, LRT-2, FTI Terminal and North–South Commuter Railway.

“Our new timeline is 2029. Full operations iyon. Our challenges, of course, was (were) COVID – the effect of pandemic, and based sa unang approval with NEDA, initially only 13 states. Nadagdagan. Naging 17,” said DOTr Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino said in a press conference.

(Our new timeline is 2029. That’s full operations. Our challenges, of course, was (were) COVID – the effect of pandemic, and based on the first approval with NEDA, initially only 13 states. It was increased. It became 17.)

“Within the Marcos admin, probably we will be able to see ‘yung completion niya, but the operations itself will start [by the end of] 2029,” Aquino made a forecast.

(Within the Marcos admin, probably we will be able to see its completion, but the operations itself (themselves) will start by the end of 2029.)

Aquino noted no partial operations will be implemented before the target completion so that all the trains will be fully running for commuters.

Based on a 2017 feasibility study, the end-to-end fare for the Metro Manila subway is P88.

This translates to a boarding fare of P22 and two pesos per additional kilometer.

This rate is still subject to change.

“From [13 station in 2017], nadagdagan pa tayo ng apat na station. So, we’re expecting to have another study for the fare so sa ngayon, hindi pa namin masabi kung ano ‘yung magiging structure niya,” Aquino said.

(From 13 stations in 2017, four other stations were added to us. So, we’re expecting to have another study for the fare. We can’t still say what its structure will be.)

She clarified, “Ganun pa rin and boarding fare and kilometer distance. But for the actual amount, pag-aaralan pa rin natin [with contractors].”

(Boarding fare and kilometer distance are the same. But for the actual amount, we will still study it.)

The Metro Manila subway is expected to carry about 519,000 passengers daily.

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