The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said it has secured 90.76 percent of the needed land and properties for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) as of December 2025.
Progress was also reported for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System, with 56 percent of the north segment already cleared and ready for construction.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed the DOTr to fast-track land acquisition for both projects to deliver immediate benefits to thousands of commuters.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said land acquisition for the MMSP stood at only 51 percent in February 2025, while just 2 percent had been settled for the NSCR north segment at that time. He said 2025 became a “banner year” for right-of-way acquisition after the agency accelerated the process.
Under former DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon and Secretary Lopez, the DOTr resolved major bottlenecks affecting the subway project, including properties in Varilla, White Plains, Corinthian Gardens, and Metrowalk.
To speed up land acquisition, the DOTr strengthened its Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition (ROWSA) efforts by appointing an assistant secretary to oversee the process, increasing ROWSA personnel from 200 to 900, and conducting training programs for staff.
For the NSCR north segment, the number of acquired properties rose to 1,143 as of December 2025, from just 38 in February 2025. Lopez said the DOTr expects to complete land acquisition for this segment by mid-2026.
In the NSCR south segment, four of the 19 station sites have been cleared, including EDSA, Cabuyao, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, and the Banlic depot.
Once completed, the 147-kilometer NSCR will run from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna, cutting travel time from about four hours to less than two and a half hours.
The 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway, with 17 stations, will run from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque, with a spur line to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City. The project aims to reduce travel time between Quezon City and NAIA from over an hour to about 35 minutes.
