The construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project formally began with the clearing works and fencing activities in parts of Valenzuela City and Quezon City representing the partial operability section of the P355-billion project.
The section of the subway includes the first stations in Valenzuela City and Quezon City, the line’s depot in Valenzuela City and buildings for the Philippine Railway Institute, the country’s first railway training center.
Dubbed as the “Project of the Century,” the underground rail line is expected to serve 370,000 passengers daily in its first year of full operations, and is targeted to be partially operable by 2021.
Once completed and fully operational, the Metro Manila Subway Project will have 15 stations, including a terminal station at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
The Department of Transportation said the formal start of clearing operations at the subway’s Valenzuela depot is a part of agency’s efforts to muster all factors needed to accomplish the underground railway project and deal with right-of-way acquisition issues.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade noted the progress in the right-of-way acquisitions both in terms of acquiring land from legal owners and relocation of informal settlers.
About 460 lots are required for the partial operability section of the subway. The department already issued 364 offers to buy those lots based on current market value appraised by Land Bank of the Philippines.
The agency said the owners of 285 lots of the 364 lots already accepted or were completing documentation requirements for selling their properties to the government,
It said 178 out of 183 affected families were also resettled to a better and safer location in Disiplina Village in Barangay Bignay, Valenzuela City with the support of the Valenzuela City government.
Following the official transfer of the properties from the landowners to the DOTR, contractors started the clearing and fencing of portions of the depot.
“With our funding in place, contractor signed-up, detailed designs completed, and right-of-way substantially acquired and under the strong willed leadership of our leader, Secretary Arthur Tugade, partial operability of the Duterte administration’s flagship Metro Manila Subway Project is on track to delivering its promise of a more comfortable life to every Filipino,” Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said.
The subway system will be financed via official development assistance from Japan, with an interest of 0.10 percent per annum, payable in 40 years, inclusive of a grace period of 12 years.
Japan International Cooperation Agency already signed a loan agreement with the Philippine government to provide a loan of up to 104.53 billion yen for the first phase of the project.