MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the groundbreaking of the Metro Manila Subway station at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Marcos said the NAIA Terminal 3 subway station project under the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) Contract Package 109 (CP109) will involve the underpinning of existing NAIA expressway piers.
“Of course, building a subway beneath a dense and highly developed city is no simple undertaking. That is why CP109 will also introduce advanced engineering methods to the Philippines,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
“Its tunnels will require the underpinning of existing expressway piers – the first application of this type of technology for tunnel construction in the country. Proven in Japan, this method will help ensure that construction can proceed safely beneath existing infrastructure while also maintaining structural integrity,” he added.
Marcos noted that the right-of-way for the terminal link has been “100 percent” secured, allowing the construction of the NAIA Terminal 3 station to “move forward with greater certainty.”
He also expressed appreciation to the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), contractors, engineers, workers and the local government for supporting projects aimed at improving mobility and connectivity across the country.
“The NAIA Terminal 3 Station will also provide passengers with a direct rail connection to the busiest airport terminals in the country,” he said. “This progress reflects the cooperation of government, the private sector, and all our other development partners.”
Under CP 109, the subway station will be located at the NAIA Terminal 3 open parking lot and connected to the NAIA Terminal 3 Building through the cooperation of the New NAIA Infra Corporation.
The contract package covers the construction of an underground station and tunnels within the NAIA Terminal 3 Complex, with a total route of 2.413 kilometers connecting Taguig City and Pasay City.
The NAIA Terminal 3 station is projected to serve around 70,000 passengers daily by 2035, increasing to 74,000 daily by 2045.
Marcos reaffirmed his commitment to modernizing the country’s railway system, as he acknowledged commuters’ daily struggles with traffic congestion.
“Our people need a public transport system that gives them a real alternative, one that is efficient, dependable, and connected to the places where we live, study, work, and travel. Our investors and tourists need to know that they can rely upon a transport system that can bring them to where they need to be and want to be in the most efficient manner that is possible,” he said.
“This project, along with other railway projects that we are currently undertaking, such as the North-South Commuter Railway, the MRT (Metro Rail Transit Line) 7, the Common Station, and our other rail projects, form part of our broader effort to improve mobility and connectivity,” Marcos added.
Financed by JICA with an approved total project cost of PHP488.48 billion, the 33.103-km. MMSP aims to reduce travel time between Valenzuela City and NAIA Terminal 3 from over one hour and 30 minutes to just 40 minutes.
