The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is eyeing a demo run of the Metro Manila Subway by the first quarter of 2028, marking progress in the country’s first underground railway system.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the initial run will cover the segment from East Valenzuela to Quirino Avenue in Quezon City.
“Ang target po namin, for demo run, uulitin ko po, for demo run, first quarter of 2028… patatakbuhin po natin ang ating mga bagon dito po sa sinasabi nating mga rail tracks. First phase. So maaasahan po nila ‘yan sa first quarter of 2028,” Lopez explained in a radio interview.
The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), which broke ground in 2019, involves a 33-kilometer line connecting Valenzuela City to Pasay City, with a spur line to NAIA Terminal 3. It will feature 17 stations and a 30-hectare depot housing the Philippine Railway Institute.
Lopez reported that the project was about 26% complete as of November 2025, with full operations targeted by late 2031 or early 2032.
“The entire Metro Manila Subway po, as of November 2025, more or less nasa 26% po tayo… So ang tingin namin, based on our calculations, makakaya natin full operations nito 2032, or last quarter 2031,” he said.
The DOTr has already secured 90.76% of right-of-way properties and aims to resolve remaining issues by mid-2026.
Once finished, the subway is expected to serve 300,000 to 400,000 passengers daily and integrate with LRT1, MRT-3, MRT-7, LRT2, and the North-South Commuter Railway Extension.
With an estimated cost of ₱488.5 billion, the Metro Manila Subway is envisioned as a backbone of urban transport, easing congestion and linking key areas across the capital.