Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Wednesday revealed he will be visiting Japan next week to arrange the schedule with Japanese officials for the inauguration ceremony of the Metro Manila subway project construction.

Tugade said scheduling has been the cause for delay since the inauguration was expected to happen last January.

He is eyeing to conduct the ceremony by February 26 as he is set to visit Tokyo on February 19 before going to Osaka for the high-level meeting between the Philippines and Japanese government.

Inspecting the boring machine that will arrive in the Philippines on May is also part of his itinerary during his visit in Japan.

“Because of the schedule, you know the subway (project) there are a lot of interested at it, especially the Japanese government. I don’t really like to do to ceremonies. I will just wait for the arrival of the boring machine,” Tugade said in an ambush interview with reporters at Quezon City.

“That will be the proof that (the project) it is true,” he said.

Tugade said Japanese officials want to conduct a ceremony for the project.

“They told me (to conduct a ceremony) as soon as possible,” he said.

The Mega Subway project is expected to be partially operated by 2020 with three stations at Mindanao Avenue- Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue.

The Philippine government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency in March 2018 signed the first tranche of loan agreement amounting to 104.530 billion yen or around P51 billion.

The rail system will span 30 kilometers with 14 stations from Quezon City to Paranaque City. It is expected to be completed in 2025. Ella Dionisio/DMS