President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued a direct mandate to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to place commuter interest at the forefront of the nation’s transit strategy, calling for immediate upgrades to the country’s railway systems.
In a high-level meeting at Malacañan Palace with DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, the President emphasized that public transport must be defined by comfort, cleanliness, and punctuality.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro reported that the President’s directive focuses on four key pillars for the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 lines:
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Reliability: Ensuring trains arrive and depart on time, every time.
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Capacity: Deploying additional trains and extending operating hours to accommodate more passengers.
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Efficiency: Drastically shortening queue times at stations.
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Environment: Maintaining clean, well-ventilated, and comfortable facilities. “The President’s directive is clear: prioritize the welfare of our commuters. We must ensure our facilities are world-class and our operations are seamless,” stated Undersecretary Castro.
Acting Secretary Lopez provided updates on several critical initiatives currently underway to modernize the existing fleet:
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Station Rehabilitation: Ongoing upgrades to facilities, starting with the MRT Quezon Avenue Station.
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Digital Payments: Full implementation of cashless systems in MRT-3, with LRT-1 and LRT-2 set to follow later this year.
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Fleet Expansion: The rehabilitation of unused Dalian trains for MRT-3 to increase passenger capacity.
The DOTr also briefed the Chief Executive on the roadmap for the country’s massive rail expansion projects. The current timeline for partial and full operations is as follows:
| Project | Milestone | Target Year |
| North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) | Valenzuela to Malolos (Partial) | 2027 |
| MRT-7 | Quezon City to Bulacan (Partial) | 2027 |
| NSCR Extension | Malolos to Clark (Partial) | 2028 |
| Metro Manila Subway | Demo Run | 2028 |
| Metro Manila Subway | Full Operations | 2032 |
The President’s administration remains committed to transforming the Philippine transport landscape into a modern, integrated network that serves the Filipino people with dignity and efficiency.
