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The Department of Transportation is advancing multi-billion-peso transport infrastructure projects nationwide to enhance mobility, connectivity, economic progress, and environmental sustainability
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Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said these initiatives span aviation, rail, roads, and maritime transport, contributing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s overarching strategy to improve mobility across the country at the Transport Con 2024 organized by Metro Pacific Tollways
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The transport department is currently implementing 69 of the National Economic and Development Authority 185-approved infrastructure flagship projects, cumulatively valued at P9.53 trillion
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DOTr-led projects amount to P6.02 trillion covering airport development and privatization, railway expansion, road network expansion, maritime improvements, and sustainability
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is advancing multi-billion-peso transport infrastructure projects nationwide to enhance mobility, connectivity, economic progress, and environmental sustainability.
At the Transport Con 2024 held on November 14, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said these initiatives span aviation, rail, roads, and maritime transport, contributing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s overarching strategy to improve mobility across the country.
The DOTr is currently implementing 69 of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 185-approved infrastructure flagship projects, cumulatively valued at P9.53 trillion. DOTr-led projects amount to P6.02 trillion, focusing on critical areas to address the “unacceptable” status quo of the Philippine transport system, Bautista said in his keynote at the conference organized by Metro Pacific Tollways.
These projects cover airport development and privatization, railway expansion and connectivity, road network expansion, maritime improvements, and sustainability and electric vehicles.
“We need to catch up in infrastructure development to be able to accelerate economic progress. Our government firmly believes an efficient transport system would lead to inclusive economic growth,” Bautista said.
“Facilitating efficient movement of goods and people through an expanding network of air and sea routes hinges on modern and efficient airports and seaports. Our infrastructure projects also extend to expressways and railways,” he added.
Among key projects identified by the transport chief are:
- Modernization of Laguindingan International Airport. Last month, Aboitiz InfraCapital committed P12.75 billion to upgrade the airport in northern Mindanao.
- Transfer of operation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation last September
- Privatization of Bohol-Panglao and other regional airports. The concession agreement will likely be awarded before year-end with the Nov. 11 deadline for any challenge to the unsolicited proposal having already lapsed.
- Development of Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo and Davao airports. The terms of reference for the privatization and upgrade of Davao airport will now be drafted after the DOTr signed the transaction advisory services agreement with the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group.
- Potential relocation of airports in Dumaguete, Siargao, Zamboanga and Masbate due to structural constraints that hinder expansion and modernization efforts.
- Construction of New Manila International Airport, also known as Bulacan Airport, by San Miguel Infrastructure. “We will start to see the runway and huge terminal rise from the 2,500-hectare property by next year. Once fully completed, the airport will have four runways and a passenger terminal with a floor area of 350,000 square meters,” Bautista said.
- Light Rail Transit-1 Cavite expansion, the first phase of which just went online on Nov 16 with the addition of five additional stations. Three more stations up to Bacoor, Cavite will later be added.
- Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway, a 212-kilometer freight line, under development to link key ports and streamline logistics. “The line will ease congestion at these overburdened ports, lower logistics costs and create an efficient transport system for goods and services,” Bautista said. “This rail corridor will eventually be extended to Ilocos and Cagayan in the north and to Bicol through the South Long-Haul Project. This will also decongest road traffic and support the long-term growth of Luzon’s freight and transport infrastructure.”
- The 147km North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) which, upon completion, will connect Clark Airport in Pampanga to Calamba in Laguna. The line is expected to serve 800,000 daily passengers and cut travel time from Makati to Clark Airport to one hour.
- Metro Manila Subway, with tunnel boring machines steadily carving a path from Valenzuela to Sucat. Additional boring machines are set to arrive soon, accelerating the project’s 33km underground route, which will eventually accommodate up to 500,000 passengers daily. Partial operations are targeted for 2028.
- The 22km Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-7, which will connect North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, cutting travel time along the line to just 35 minutes. Twelve of the 14 stations are slated to open by late next year.
- MRT-4. The line will span Ortigas Avenue, extending from EDSA to Taytay, Rizal and expected to alleviate congestion along this busy corridor. Groundbreaking to start soon.
- Revival of the South Long Haul Rail line, or PNR Bicol. The 560km line will connect Manila to Legazpi City in Albay, running through Laguna, Quezon and Camarines Sur, with extensions planned to Sorsogon and Batangas. The rail system’s 35 stations will cut travel time from Manila to Legazpi from 12 hours by car to under six hours.
- Securing funding for the Mindanao Railway Project, the island’s first rail network. Phase 1, spanning 100 kilometers, will connect three cities in southern Mindanao, while Phase 3 will start from Laguindingan Airport and cover 54.8 kilometers, including a stop in Cagayan de Oro City.
- Potential for construction of a cable car system as a traffic solution, with a prototype planned for Baguio and potential installation in Antipolo. This would provide Antipolo residents with a connection to MRT-4 at the Taytay station.
- New toll roads such as the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME/C6) will serve to decongest Metro Manila. SEMME/C6 will span 32.66 kilometers from FTI in Taguig to Batasan in Quezon City, passing through Taytay, Antipolo, Marikina, and San Mateo. Designed to handle up to 88,000 vehicles daily, the six-lane, P45.29-billion expressway will serve as an eastern Metro Manila alternative route and link with MRT-4.
- Four other expressways are under construction, including North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Candaba 3rd viaduct, Cavite-CALAX Link, and C-5 Link Expressway
- Seven new expressways have either recently been approved or are under evaluation, including Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), Northern Access Link Expressway (NALEX), North Luzon East Expressway, and expansions of NLEX, SLEX, and STAR Tollway.
- Barrier-less tollways and NLEX-SLEX interoperability being undertaken by the Toll Regulatory Board.
- Groundbreaking soon for the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange, modeled after Paranaque’s PITX, with plans for another terminal north of Metro Manila nearing finalization
- Development of a Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake ferry system aimed at reducing traffic and lowering carbon emissions
- Offshore wind ports that could contribute up to 178 gigawatts of energy, emphasizing the government’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions
- The New Cebu International Container Port to be built on 25 hectares of reclaimed land, addressing congestion at the current port. Funded by the Export-Import Bank of Korea, the project’s contract is expected to be awarded by year’s end.
- Multiple port improvement projects, including breakwater facilities, roll on-roll off ramps, and passenger terminals advanced by the Philippine Ports Authority. In April, a new passenger terminal opened at Batangas Port, accommodating up to 8,000 passengers.
- Development of new cruise ports in holiday destinations such as Siargao to support the growing cruise industry, where over 100,000 Filipinos are currently employed worldwide.
- Construction of a P227.5-million port on Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea being undertaken by the Philippine Coast Guard to improve docking capabilities within the country’s exclusive economic zone. Recently, the PCG also announced acquisition of 40 fast patrol craft from France, valued at P25.8 billion, marking the largest single purchase in its modernization program and significantly boosting maritime security.
Bautista said the infrastructure projects are designed for “reducing logistics costs, creating jobs, ensuring safety and security, achieving carbon neutrality, building disaster resilience, and promoting inclusion. Other key priorities include digitalization, electric vehicles, and institutional strengthening.”
The government continues to seek additional funding from private investors and international partners to complete these large-scale projects. – Michael Barcas
