The Metro Manila Subway Project, which is funded by the Japan government through an Official Development Assistance, is scheduled to be fully operational by 2028, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said Friday.

During the Senate hearing on DoTr’s P67.1 billion proposed budget for 2023, Transport Undersecretary for Railways Timothy Batan said: “For the Metro Manila subway project, we are programmed to achieve partial operations in fourth quarter of 2027 and full operations by the fourth quarter of 2028.”

Batan also gave a timeline of DoTr’s other railway projects:

*North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), Tutuban to Malolos route, to be partially operational by the third quarter of 2026 and fully operational by the first quarter of 2028.

*NSCR North extension, Malolos to Clark route, to be fully operational by 2026.

*NSCR South extension, Manila to Calamba route, to be partially operational by the first quarter of 2028 and fully operational by the first quarter of 2029.

*Light Rail Transit (LRT)1 Cavite extension project, to be partially operational by the fourth quarter of 2024 and fully operational by 2027.

*LRT Line 2 West extension to be be fully operational by 2026.

*Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Rehabilitation to be completed by the second quarter of 2023

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito asked: “What will be our total route length upon the completion of these railway project?”

Ejercito said that the Philippines, with a total railway route length of 148 km, had the shortest length among its Asian neighbors.

Batan said the total length of the railway route will increase to 1,209 km.

“Across all our current investment-approved railway projects, the total length is going to increase to 1,209 km. So This is for all our railway projects with NEDA board investment approval,” Batan told the panel.

The railway sector had the largest share of the DOTr budget, comprising 96.65 percent or P112 billion.

In February, the Philippines and Japan signed the 253.1 billion yen loan agreement to fund the second tranche of the Metro Manila Subway Project.

Japan is supporting five major railway projects. These are the Metro Manila Subway Project, NSCR Project (and the first tranche of the Extension Project), MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project, LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, and LRT-2 East Extension Project. Jaspearl Tan/DMS