The Philippines and Japan signed two loan agreements on Tuesday totaling 250 billion yen (approximately P93 billion) to fund infrastructure projects designed addressing persistent traffic congestion plaguing Metro Manila.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said it signed a 100 billion yen (37.18 billion) loan agreement with the Philippines to fund the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project.
“These two projects, for which we signed new agreements now, are among the infrastructure flagship projects of the Marcos administration under the Build-Better-More Program,” JICA Philippines chief representative Sakamoto Takema said.
Takema said the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project, which includes building the longest tunnel in the country, is a game-changing initiative.
“It can improve regional connectivity and boost economic activities. The success of this project will make the difficulties and safety concerns in traversing the Dalton Pass a thing of the past,” he said.
The project improves transport capacity and efficiency at the Pan-Philippine Highway Network in Central and Northern Luzon by constructing an alternative road bypassing the existing Dalton Pass, thereby contributing to the economic and social development of the area.
The Dalton Pass Road project is pursued by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and complete by March 2032.
The two countries also singed a 150 billion year loan agreement (P55.7 billion) to finance Phase 1 of the Metro Manila Subway Project.
“All citizens and visitors, including investors, are eagerly waiting for the completion and impact of this game-changing project,” Takema said.
“Although we are still facing various challenges, such as right-of-way issues, this project is already gaining strong momentum. We cannot slow or stop its progress. In this regard, we definitely expect that this loan accelerate the realization of this epoch-making subway line,” he said.
The MMSP contract package 101 includes the construction of the first 7.3-kilometer section of the project from the Depot in Valenzuela to north Metro Manila, including the depot, three stations and six shield tunnels, which connect the stations.
With 17 stations, the 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Projectis will reduce travel time between Valenzuela City and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 from 1 hour and 30 minutes to only 35 minutes.
The P488.5-billion project is projected to serve around 370,000 passengers a day on its first year of full operations, with capacity to serve up to 1 million passengers a day in later years.
The MMSP is physically interconnected and interoperable with the North-South Commuter Railway System’s south segment, enabling a passenger to board a subway train, for example, in North Ave. Station of the MMSP and get off at the Calamba station of the NSCR.
