Manila Subway: Boring of East Avenue to Ortigas tunnel in full swing

Manila: The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) is charging forward with full steam despite right-of-way (ROW) hurdles.

The tunneling is going strong, with several behemoth Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) busy digging underground across Manila.

The third TBM just kicked off work at the Camp Aguinaldo Station and is on track to reach Anonas Station in about six months, digging at a solid pace of 9 metres a day.

HIGHLIGHTS

The boring of the Metro Manila Subway tunnel from East Avenue to Ortigas is now in full swing, marking a significant milestone in this landmark infrastructure project.

Tunnel boring for this 6.5-kilometer CP103 section began in January 2025, led by Mitsui Sumitomo Construction Co., Ltd., and is progressing smoothly.

The Ortigas Station construction, a critical hub where trains heading to Mandaluyong and Ortigas will intersect, started in September 2025 after overcoming prior obstacles related to property acquisition, as per GMA Network.

Recently, a new TBM was launched at the Camp Aguinaldo station, marking a significant milestone for the project’s Contract Package (CP) 103, which covers a 6.5-km stretch linking East Avenue to Ortigas.

This package alone involves four TBMs and is being built by Mitsui Sumitomo Construction Co., Ltd.

Up to 21 TBMs are set to work to complete the 33-km system, the country's first "tube".

Overall, the subway will run 33 km with 17 stations, slicing travel time drastically across Metro Manila.

As of December 2024, about 18.24% of the entire subway construction was complete.

Transportation officials plan to eventually deploy up to 19 TBMs to speed up excavation and tunnel works.

Some of the early packages, like CP101 in the north, already successfully broke through tunnels using TBMs sustained by advanced continuous tunnel conveyors supplied by TERRATEC, which helped remove enormous amounts of excavated soil smoothly.

An armed forces official highlighted how the subway will not only ease congestion but also support emergency response by providing reliable mass transit access for soldiers and families.

Despite the sparkle, the project timeline faces delays due to right-of-way (ROW) issues common in mega infrastructure projects in the Philippines.

Originally planned for partial operations by 2025 and full completion by 2027, these deadlines have been pushed back, with full operations now expected by 2029 or later, and partial operations anticipated around 2032.

The work sites — including massive pits with TBMs visible — are bustling in areas like Valenzuela and Quezon City, showing tangible progress on stations and tunneling.

Tunnel boring machines keep carving through Manila’s underground as the country’s first subway inches closer to reality, promising to revolutionize urban transport for over half a million daily commuters.

Steady progress, lots of TBMs digging deep, some delays due to ROW, but unmistakable momentum toward creating Metro Manila’s “crown jewel” of mass transit.

​After years of delays mainly due to RoW issues and the pandemic, full-scale construction activities picked up momentum in 2025.