Metro Manila Subway demo run set for early 2028

The Metro Manila Subway demo run is being targeted for the first quarter of 2028, as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) continues work on the Philippines’ first underground railway system, as reported by GMA News Online.

Speaking on Super Radyo dzBB, DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the demonstration run is intended for the project’s initial segment in northern Metro Manila.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The first phase will cover the route from the East Valenzuela subway depot to the Quirino station area in Quezon City—described in the report as reaching Quirino Avenue. Lopez also said the demo run is separate from testing and commissioning, and will involve running the project’s coaches along the rail tracks for the initial section.

Project scope for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP)

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) broke ground in 2019. Once completed, it is planned to include 17 stations and a 30.34-hectare depot, where the Philippine Railway Institute is located.

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The project involves building a 33-kilometer railway line connecting Valenzuela City to Pasay City, along with a spur line to NAIA Terminal 3; related construction progress has also been tracked in industry coverage such as Railway Supply.

The MMSP’s 17 stations are: Valenzuela, Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, Katipunan (Camp Aguinaldo), Ortigas Avenue, Shaw Boulevard, Kalayaan Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Lawton East, Senate-DepEd, NAIA Terminal 3, FTI, and Bicutan.

Timeline, costs, and progress toward full operations

Lopez said the completion rate for the entire Metro Manila Subway was about 26% as of November 2025. DOTr estimates place the project’s total cost at P488.5 billion as of September 2025, and the agency expects the work will take about five more years to finish.

He described subway construction as complicated, pointing to tunneling activity and the demands of building underground. Based on DOTr calculations and budget considerations, Lopez said full operations could be reached by 2032, or by the last quarter of 2031, covering the full stretch from Valenzuela all the way to NAIA.

Right-of-way and connections with other rail lines

The DOTr is seeking to resolve remaining right-of-way (ROW) issues by the second quarter of 2026. Earlier this month, the agency reported it had acquired 90.76% of right-of-way properties needed for the subway’s construction, as also reported by The Philippine Star.

Upon completion, the Metro Manila Subway is expected to benefit around 300,000 to 400,000 daily passengers. It is also envisioned to be interconnected with other rail systems, linking with LRT1, MRT-3, and MRT-7 via the Common Station; LRT2 at the Anonas Station; and a physical run-through into the North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR-Ex) at the FTI and Bicutan stations.

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