Cable cars seen running by 2028

MANILA, Philippines — The country may see its first cable car system that will connect the planned Metro Rail Transit Line 4 (MRT-4) to Antipolo, Rizal operational by 2028, as the government looks to start the feasibility study for the project this year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said during the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum in New Clark City in Tarlac that the government is working on the country’s first and pilot cable car project that will connect to MRT-4’s planned Taytay station along Manila East Road and go up to Antipolo.

“We are being told that it can have a construction period of two years. So if we are able to award in 2026, then potentially it may be possible (to be operational) in 2028,” he said.

While the government is looking at the cable car project as part of the mix of transport solutions for the National Capital Region, the government sees the need to further understand the technology.

“It’s our first cable car project, so our level of understanding of the technology is not that mature yet,” Batan said.

With the pre-feasibility study funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the project now completed, he said the next step is to conduct the actual study, which will also be supported by the multilateral lender.

The pre-feasibility study was conducted as part of the support being provided by the ADB for the MRT-4 project, a fully elevated railway with 10 stations that will serve eastern Metro Manila plus the province of Rizal.

“That pre-feasibility study has been completed and the project appears viable,” Batan said.

The next step is to conduct the feasibility study, which Batan said is being targeted to start within the year.

He said the feasibility study would cover the project cost as well as the projected number of passengers to be served.

The planned cable car system is being developed as a solicited project.

With the feasibility study just about to be started, Batan said the government is likely to bid out the project by the end of next year or early 2026.