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Advocates Philippines
Third Tunnel Boring Machine Joins Metro Manila Subway Works: Faster Build On The Way
Photo credit: DOTr
The Metro Manila Subway just got a big boost. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched its third tunnel boring machine (TBM) on Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo, promising to speed up work on the country’s first-ever underground mass transit system.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the new TBM deployment follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to fast-track the project.
“Mass transit is the real solution to commuters’ daily struggles, so we have to move faster,” Lopez stressed.
Digging Faster, Finishing Sooner
The third TBM is now drilling nine meters a day and is expected to reach Anonas Station within six months. Another TBM is also set to be launched in the next two months.
“More tunnel boring machines mean shorter construction time. Tuloy-tuloy ang subway at hindi hihinto ang DOTr,” Lopez added.
So far, the first two TBMs have already dug through 1,000 meters of tunnels from Camp Aguinaldo to Ortigas Station in Pasig City. Meanwhile, a fourth TBM is already being assembled at Camp Aguinaldo.
What to Expect Once It’s Done
Once completed, the 33-kilometer, 17-station subway will stretch from Valenzuela City to Bicutan in Taguig, with a spur line connecting to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay.
It’s projected to serve over half a million passengers daily by 2032, cutting travel time from Valenzuela to Pasay to just 45 minutes — down from the current one hour and 38 minutes.
The subway will also connect seamlessly with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) at FTI and Bicutan stations, making it a game-changer for Metro Manila commuters.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the new TBM deployment follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to fast-track the project.
“Mass transit is the real solution to commuters’ daily struggles, so we have to move faster,” Lopez stressed.
Digging Faster, Finishing Sooner
The third TBM is now drilling nine meters a day and is expected to reach Anonas Station within six months. Another TBM is also set to be launched in the next two months.
“More tunnel boring machines mean shorter construction time. Tuloy-tuloy ang subway at hindi hihinto ang DOTr,” Lopez added.
So far, the first two TBMs have already dug through 1,000 meters of tunnels from Camp Aguinaldo to Ortigas Station in Pasig City. Meanwhile, a fourth TBM is already being assembled at Camp Aguinaldo.
What to Expect Once It’s Done
Once completed, the 33-kilometer, 17-station subway will stretch from Valenzuela City to Bicutan in Taguig, with a spur line connecting to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay.
It’s projected to serve over half a million passengers daily by 2032, cutting travel time from Valenzuela to Pasay to just 45 minutes — down from the current one hour and 38 minutes.
The subway will also connect seamlessly with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) at FTI and Bicutan stations, making it a game-changer for Metro Manila commuters.
Oct 8, 2025
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