PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday vowed to reduce traffic congestion and generate more jobs with the construction of more railways during his administration.
In his speech at the ceremonial contract signing of the Contract Package (CP) 102 and CP 103 of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) in Malacañang, Marcos said he wants to mainstream train use by expanding the country’s rail transport system.
He noted the MMSP, the country’s first ever subway, is one such expansion, which will help “reduce travel time between Quezon City and Pasay from 1 hour and 30 minutes to just 35 minutes” once it is completed by 2028.
Marcos thanked the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) for providing the country the loan to finance the CP102 and CP103, which are both worth P49 billion.
“Apart from this, we are also pursuing other key railway projects, such as the MRT [Metro Rail Transit]-7, the LRT [Light Rail Transit]-1 Cavite Extension, the Philippine National Railway [PNR] Clark Phases 1 and 2 that will, in the future, make our rail transit system a more viable option for our commuters,” Marcos said.
Compared to road-based transportation, he said trains can accommodate more passengers and are not hampered by traffic congestions.
The construction of the MMSP, Marcos said, is also expected to generate thousands of jobs.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the civil works for the start of the construction of the 4 MMSP stations next year are expected to provide over 600,000 direct and indirect employment.
Marcos noted that completion of the railway projects will help the country’s economy recover from the effects of the pandemic.
“The signing of these contract packages is a clear demonstration of this administration’s commitment to pursuing big infrastructure projects that will foster growth and revitalize the economy,” Marcos said.
Image credits: Embassy of Japan