The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced a major acceleration of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), marking the launch of the project’s third Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).
The third TBM officially began drilling activities from the Camp Aguinaldo Station, moving toward the Anonas Station. This deployment is a direct response to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fast-track the completion of the MMSP for the immediate benefit of Metro Manila commuters.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, speaking at the TBM launch at Camp Aguinaldo, confirmed the machine’s impressive pace. “With a projected pace of nine meters of tunneling works daily, this TBM is expected to reach the Anonas Station in approximately six months,” said Acting Secretary Lopez. He also noted that a parallel fourth TBM for the Camp Aguinaldo section is already being assembled and is slated for launch within the next two months.
“The utilization of additional tunnel boring machines significantly shortens the project timeline. The subway construction is continuous, and the DOTr will not stop prioritizing these critical projects,” Acting Secretary Lopez stated. “As the President emphasized, we must expedite these developments because mass transit is the key to resolving the commuting challenges faced by the public.”
Under MMSP Contract Package 103, TBMs have already excavated over 1,000 meters from Camp Aguinaldo toward Ortigas Stations. The whole MMSP line will utilize eight TBMs in total to execute the massive undertaking.
The MMSP is the Philippines’ first underground mass transit system. The 33-kilometer, 17-station line will run from Valenzuela City to Parañaque City, culminating at the Bicutan Station in Taguig City, with a vital spur line connecting to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
Once complete, the subway is expected to reduce the current one-hour and 38-minute travel time from Valenzuela to Pasay to just 45 minutes. The system is fully interoperable with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) via FTI and Bicutan Stations, enabling seamless travel from Valenzuela all the way to Calamba. The MMSP is projected to serve 519,000 passengers daily when it reaches full operational capacity in 2032.
