NEDA Board approves Metro Manila Subway, longest railway

These big-ticket projects will be funded via official development assistance (ODA) from either China or Japan

The country's first subway and the soon-to-be longest mass railway transit are ready to be launched, after President Rodrigo Duterte gave the go signal to implement these projects.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board – headed by Duterte – on Tuesday, September 12, approved the $7-billion (P358.25-billion) Metro Manila Subway as well as the P134-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR)-South Commuter Line and its extension, the P151-billion PNR South Long Haul Line.

All these 3 big-ticket projects – cumulatively worth P643.25 billion – will be funded via official development assistance (ODA) from either China or Japan.

"NEDA Board finally approved the Metro Manila Subway as presented by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. It also approved PNR Manila-Los Baños and PNR Long Haul," said the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

These projects form part of the Mega Manila Dream Plan, a transport network roadmap by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The bold plan outlined a program towards 2030 for sustainable development for Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon that would require P2.61 trillion ($65.3 billion) in investment.

Dream plan being realized?

Funded by a loan from JICA, the planned subway will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

The DOTr said the loan will have an interest of 0.10% per annum payable in 40 years, with a grace period of 12 years. (READ: Tokyo Metro: It's time to build a subway in PH)

The signing of the loan agreement is expected in November when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with President Rodrigo Duterte during the ASEAN Summit.

The groundbreaking of the subway project is currently set for the 4th quarter of 2018, while the target completion is by 2025, the DOTr said.

Also funded by JICA, the PNR-South Commuter Line is a 72-kilometer mass transportation railway from Tutuban, Manila to Los Baños, Laguna.

It is expected to have a daily ridership of over 300,000 in its 1st year and will cut travel time between Manila and Calamba by more than half, reducing it from over two hours to under one once the railway is fully operational, government data showed.

The PNR South Commuter Line will be a dual-track, electrified, standard-gauge railway with elevated, at-grade, and depressed sections.

Its extension, the PNR South Long Haul Line, will be funded via ODA from China.

The PNR South Long Haul Line is a 581-kilometer, standard-gauge railway from Manila to Legazpi, Matnog, and Batangas City.

It involves the complete reconstruction of the legacy PNR railway into a DOUBLE-track, at-grade railway. The railway is seen to connect cities, international seaports, and economic zones.