On the 08/03/2022 the Department of Transportation (DoTr) announced that the first TBM to be used in Philippine history would be lowered into the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) works. The TBM is called Kaunlaran and will have its first test run at the Valenzuela Depot once all the preparations are complete. The first phase will include 36-km with 17 stations from Valenzuela City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City. The construction is divided into two sections and 25 TBMs, manufactured by JIM Technology Inc. from Tsurumi, Japan will be used on the project. The construction contracts were awarded to the joint venture of Shimizu-Fujita-Takenaka-EEI in 2019-2020.
The Metro Manila Subway was first planned in the 1970s, but it remained a plan for about half a century. It is the Philippines' first completely underground railway system, and construction originally began in February 2019, funded by the Government of Japan.
The Shimizu-led joint venture will build a 6.9 km section of the Project which will be partially operable prior to other sections. It includes 3 stations (Tandang Sora Station, Quirino Highway Station, and North Avenue Station, one train depot and 6 underground running tunnels connecting the stations and depot (3 southbound and 3 northbound with a total length of 9.3km）bored using 6 TBMs, each of 6.99-m in diameter, 95-m in length and 700-t in weight.
The new subway will reduce travel time between Quezon City and NAIA from one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes. It will provide many Filipinos in Manila a comfortable and safe ride, and will help to revitalize the Philippine economy by easing the heavy traffic congestion in Metro Manila. Once operational, the train line can accommodate up to 370,000 passengers per day in its first year of operations .
On 10/02/2022, Ambassador KOSHIKAWA Kazuhiko attended the signing ceremony for the 2nd part of an ODA loan agreement amounting to EUR 1.98 bn (YEN 253.307 bn) to fund the Metro Manila Subway Project (Phase 1) between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Finance.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and JICA Philippines Representative AZUKISAWA Eigo signed the Agreement which follows Japan’s initial funding of EUR 816.77 million (YEN 104.53 bn), signed in March 2018. For further information please click ph/11 for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://dotr.gov.ph and https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp and https://www.pna.gov.ph/. 10/22.
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