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Advocates Philippines
After A Decade In Storage, Dalian Trains Finally Roll Out To Serve Filipino Commuters
Photo credit: PCO
After more than ten years of gathering dust, the long-idle Dalian trains purchased from China in 2014 are finally on the tracks and serving Filipino commuters. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the inaugural run on Wednesday, calling it a long-overdue step toward improving daily commutes—especially for students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.
Speaking at the Santolan–Annapolis MRT station, President Marcos joined the first passengers aboard the rehabilitated train and shared his satisfaction at seeing the long-stored units finally put to use.
“Back then, we bought these trains from Dalian in China,” he recounted. “But when they were inspected, they said they couldn’t run and weren’t fit for use. So they just sat there.”
The Dalian trains—named after the Chinese city where they were manufactured—were initially sidelined due to technical compatibility issues with the existing rail system. Their prolonged storage drew widespread criticism over wasted public funds.
But under his administration, President Marcos said, officials revisited the issue and made it a priority to make the trains operational.
“We made sure to go back to these trains and do whatever was needed to get them running,” he said. “Now, we see this train before us—fixed and finally ready to be used.”
For the inaugural run, the restored train set consisted of three operational cars. Transportation officials said more Dalian units will undergo the same rehabilitation process in the coming months, as part of a broader program to improve the MRT and the country’s railway network.
“These trains had been parked for ten years,” President Marcos remarked. “But now we can use them, and that’s what we’re testing today.”
Bringing the Dalian trains into service, he emphasized, not only redeems the government’s earlier investment but also helps ease the daily burden of commuters, making rides more convenient and accessible for vulnerable groups.
“It’s heartening to see that our funds were not wasted,” he said. “This makes commuting more comfortable for our fellow Filipinos—especially our senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and students.”
The deployment of the Dalian trains is one of several initiatives in the government’s broader agenda to modernize the country’s railway system and promote more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable public transportation.
President Marcos was joined at the event by Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez, and other transport officials who helped steer the project to completion.
With more rehabilitated cars expected to follow soon, the Dalian trains’ long-awaited rollout marks a modest but meaningful milestone in the ongoing effort to deliver better public transit to Filipinos.
Speaking at the Santolan–Annapolis MRT station, President Marcos joined the first passengers aboard the rehabilitated train and shared his satisfaction at seeing the long-stored units finally put to use.
“Back then, we bought these trains from Dalian in China,” he recounted. “But when they were inspected, they said they couldn’t run and weren’t fit for use. So they just sat there.”
The Dalian trains—named after the Chinese city where they were manufactured—were initially sidelined due to technical compatibility issues with the existing rail system. Their prolonged storage drew widespread criticism over wasted public funds.
But under his administration, President Marcos said, officials revisited the issue and made it a priority to make the trains operational.
“We made sure to go back to these trains and do whatever was needed to get them running,” he said. “Now, we see this train before us—fixed and finally ready to be used.”
For the inaugural run, the restored train set consisted of three operational cars. Transportation officials said more Dalian units will undergo the same rehabilitation process in the coming months, as part of a broader program to improve the MRT and the country’s railway network.
“These trains had been parked for ten years,” President Marcos remarked. “But now we can use them, and that’s what we’re testing today.”
Bringing the Dalian trains into service, he emphasized, not only redeems the government’s earlier investment but also helps ease the daily burden of commuters, making rides more convenient and accessible for vulnerable groups.
“It’s heartening to see that our funds were not wasted,” he said. “This makes commuting more comfortable for our fellow Filipinos—especially our senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and students.”
The deployment of the Dalian trains is one of several initiatives in the government’s broader agenda to modernize the country’s railway system and promote more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable public transportation.
President Marcos was joined at the event by Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez, and other transport officials who helped steer the project to completion.
With more rehabilitated cars expected to follow soon, the Dalian trains’ long-awaited rollout marks a modest but meaningful milestone in the ongoing effort to deliver better public transit to Filipinos.
Jul 17, 2025
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