Inside Look at Metro Manila Subway: Cutting North-to-South travel time to just 35 minutes?

Construction of Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1 is well underway, aiming to bring significant improvements to transportation in the metro by 2029.

With a budget of P488.5 billion, the underground mass transport system is expected to cut travel time from Valenzuela to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from 1.5 hours to just 35 minutes, the Department of Finance (DOF) stated.

The DOF said that the Metro Manila subway, considered the third largest project under the Marcos administration’s Build Better More program, will have the capacity to accommodate 519,000 passengers each day once fully operational.

Projected to be operational by 2029, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said that the subway will not only improve convenience and speed but also generate approximately P2.5 billion in daily economic benefits.

Recto further said that the subway’s direct economic benefits, totaling P930.26 billion annually, will be a result of reduced vehicle costs, shorter travel times, and decreased carbon emissions.

Stretching across 33 kilometers, the Metro Manila subway will feature 17 stations connecting Valenzuela City to Parañaque City, with a designated stop at NAIA Terminal 3. — Chino S. Leyco