DOTC finalizing alignment of P135-B subway system

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is finalizing the alignment of the ambitious P135 billion “subway” or underground rail system dubbed at the Mass Transit Loop System.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the government is looking at two options wherein the system would pass either through the 26th St. or 32nd St. inside the Bonifacio Global City.

If it passes through the 26th St., the stations would include Market-Market, McKinley Parkway, 5th Ave., Ayala/EDSA, Ayala Triangle, Makati Post Office, PNR Buendia, Buendia/Taft Ave., World Trade Center, Mall of Asia, and EDSA/Taft Ave.

On the other hand, if  the system terminates in 32nd St., the stations include Market-Market, St. Lukes Medical Center, MRT3 Buendia Station, Ayala/EDSA, Ayala/EDSA, Ayala Triangle, Makati Post Office, PNR Buendia, Buendia/Taft Ave., World Trade Center, Mall of Asia, EDSA/Taft Ave.

Abaya said the agency is now in talks with the directors of Manila Golf so that the underground rail system could pass through McKinley instead of Kalayaan.

“We are talking to Manila Golf for approval. The Kalayaan route is now the ideal right of way due to the right turns,” he added.

The rail system would address the growing concern of traffic congestion in the fast growing urban centers in the cities of Makati, Pasay, and Taguig.

It aims to improve inter-city linkage by providing a higher capacity public transportation system that would facilitate fast and convenient mobility of goods and services. The mass transit project also intends to address the high volume of vehicular traffic traversing in these major business districts of the Metro.

The proposed 20-kilometer loop would consist of 16 kilometers tunnel and four kms elevated railway especially in the reclaimed area in Pasay City. The project would consist of 11 stations consisting of five underground, four interchanges and two elevated.

Given Metro Manila’s current infrastructure, it was also determined that the rail line of approximately 12 kilometer would need to run mostly underground, making this the first subway in the country.

The government is looking at increasing urban mass transport ridership to 2.2 million per day by 2016 or 2017 from the current level of 1.2 million per day under the government’s Rail Transport Development Plan.

The DOTC would develop intermodal facilities and at the same time improve transport linkages and efficiency to production and consumption markets.