Philippines secures new funding from Japan for Metro Manila subway, Dalton road

The Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have inked loan agreements for two big-ticket infrastructure projects aimed at fostering inclusive growth in the country.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto and JICA Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto recently finalized the loan agreement for the third tranche of financing for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) Phase 1.

The newly signed JICA financing amounted to 150 billion year or approximately P55 billion.

With a total project cost of P488.48 billion, the MMSP Phase 1 stands as the country’s first underground mass transport system and ranks as the third-largest initiative under the Build Better More program of the Marcos administration.

This ambitious project cover the construction of a depot and a 33-kilometer railway system comprising 17 stations, connecting Valenzuela City to Bicutan with a secondary line extending to NAIA Terminal 3 in Paranaque City.

Expected to commence operations in 2029, the subway is set to slash the travel duration from Valenzuela to NAIA from 1 hour and 30 minutes to a mere 35 minutes.

It also also capable of accommodating up to 519,000 passengers daily upon reaching full operational capacity.

Meanwhile, the officials also signed the loan agreement for the first tranche of financing for the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project (DPEARP) worth 100 billion year (about P37 billion).

The second tranche of financing for the project worth 39.19 billion year, or about P14.58 billion) is proposed to be signed in 2027.

With a total project cost of P67.4 billion, the DPEARP is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Central and Northern Luzon that involves the construction of a 23-kilometer (km) alternative road bypassing the existing 77-km Dalton Pass East Bypass Route.

It also includes a 6.121-km tube section and 10 bridges with a total length of 5.828 km, as well as slope protection works. — Chino S. Leyco