DOTC mulls options for P135-B subway system

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is looking at ways to hasten the rollout of the country’s first subway system – a P135-billion mass transit loop system connecting the cities of Makati, Taguig, and Pasay.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the government is studying if it could push through with the project even without the blessing of the stakeholders of the Manila Golf Club along McKinley Avenue.

“If we see the benefit and they don’t allow us, then we have to expropriate underneath that. We don’t want to hear comments that DOTC is looking at the benefit of the rich over the working class,” Abaya said.

He said the Aquino administration believes that the proposed subway is a viable project and the stakeholders of the golf course need to understand that.

The government is looking at two options – for the system to pass either along 26th street or 32nd street in Bonifacio Global City.

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

But if the system terminates on 32nd street, the stations will be at Market! Market!, St. Luke’s Medical Center, MRT-3 Buendia Station, Ayala-EDSA, Ayala Triangle, Makati Post Office, PNR Buendia, Buendia-Taft, World Trade Center, Mall of Asia and EDSA-Taft.

The government prefers the underground rail system to pass through McKinley as the Kalayaan route is not an ideal right-of-way due to right turns.

Abaya said the government is hopeful that the proposed subway system could be presented to the National Economic and Development Authority board, chaired by President Aquino, within the year.

The proposed subway transit aims to address the high volume of vehicular traffic in the metropolis’ major business districts.

The proposed 12-kilometer loop would connect Bonifacio Global City, Makati’s central business district, and the Mall of Asia area in Pasay City.

Given Metro Manila’s current infrastructure, it was determined that the rail line of approximately 12 kilometers would run mostly underground.

The government wants to increase the mass transport ridership to 2.2 million per day by 2016 or 2017, from the current 1.2 million per day under the government’s Rail Transport Development Plan.