Metro Manila Subway Project: DOTr launches third tunnel boring machine

Dubai: The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has launched a third tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), a major step in accelerating work on what is poised to become the country’s first underground rail system.

The launch took place at Camp Aguinaldo Station, where the machine has already begun boring toward Anonas Station, a key stretch expected to be completed in about six months. The push is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to fast-track large-scale infrastructure that eases daily commuter burden.

'Additional tunnel boring machines mean we can finish these projects sooner. The subway continues, and the DOTr is not slowing down,' said Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez during the TBM’s launch on-site.

Lopez noted that the new TBM is designed to drill roughly nine meters per day. A fourth machine is already being assembled, and another TBM is set to be deployed in the next two months. Altogether, the whole MMSP line now has eight TBM's

Underground momentum

This newest TBM is part of Contract Package 103, which connects Camp Aguinaldo to Anonas Station. Meanwhile, two TBMs previously deployed have already bored over 1,000 meters of tunnel between Camp Aguinaldo and Ortigas Station, signaling steady progress beneath one of the most traffic-congested cities in Southeast Asia.

The MMSP broke ground in 2019 and has since become a flagship of the 'Build, Build, Build ' infrastructure project. Once completed, it promises to drastically improve public transportation in the capital region.

What the subway will look like

Spanning 33 kilometers with 17 stations, the Metro Manila Subway will link Valenzuela City in the north to Bicutan Station in Taguig City, including a critical spur line connecting to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

Beyond easing the strain on existing transport networks, the subway will also be fully interoperable with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) via FTI and Bicutan Stations. This means commuters could travel from Valenzuela to Calamba, Laguna without changing trains.

Big promises, big impact

According to project estimates, the new subway will cut travel time between Valenzuela and Pasay from over 90 minutes to just 45 minutes, a dramatic improvement for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters. Once fully operational, the system is expected to serve more than 519,000 passengers per day.

The government has set a goal to have the first operational segment running by 2028, with full service targeted for 2032.

With more TBMs coming online and construction milestones being reached, the DOTr is confident that momentum will continue to build. For Metro Manila residents who endure traffic gridlock daily, the subway offers hope that faster, safer, and more efficient transportation may finally be within reach.