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Rail transit can reduce the Philippines’ carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50% compared with private-car travel, according to figures cited by the Department of Transportation
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The existing railways in Metro Manila and the Philippine National Railway network collectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 74,781 tons annually
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The North-South Commuter Railway, with the initial phase under construction, is projected to cut more than 150,000 tons of CO₂ emissions a year once operational
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MRT-7, targeted to open in the second quarter of 2027, is expected to reduce emissions by about 58%, or more than 60,000 tons annually
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The Metro Manila Subway Project could reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 63%, equivalent to more than 70,000 tons annually
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Transportation chief Giovanni Lopez said the administration is pushing commuter-centric transport, particularly rail, to encourage a shift away from private vehicles
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Rail expansion may also ease Metro Manila’s traffic, which could costs the Philippine economy as much as P5.4 billion daily by 2035, according to a JICA study
Train transport systems can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50% compared with private-car travel, highlighting the potential environmental and economic benefits of expanding the country’s railway network, according to figures cited by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Existing rail lines – including the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3, Light Rail Transit (LRT)-1, LRT-2 and Philippine National Railways (PNR) – collectively generate an estimated net reduction of 74,781 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions annually compared with private-car travel.
The reduction comes as the government pushes rail-based mass transportation as a more sustainable alternative to private vehicles amid worsening traffic congestion and climate-related risks.
Transportation secretary Giovanni Lopez said the sustainability direction is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to develop more sustainable public transportation.
“The President’s instruction is for us to make our transportation sustainable. That’s why at the DOTr, we are promoting what is called commuter-centric transport, such as trains where more people can ride. If more people ride the train than private vehicles, it will significantly reduce carbon emissions on the road,” Lopez said.
Data from National Rail UK’s Greener Travel report cited by the DOTr show that car travel produces 167 grams of CO₂ per kilometer, compared with 35 grams of CO₂ per passenger-kilometer for rail.
Even assuming an average of two passengers per private vehicle, car travel would generate about 83.5 grams of CO₂ per passenger-kilometer, more than twice the emissions from rail travel.
The emissions benefit is likely to grow as large railway projects become operational.
The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 150,000 tons annually, more than double the combined reduction attributed to the country’s four existing train lines.
READ: DOTr gains ground on ROW for 2 rail projects
The MRT-7, targeted to begin operations in the second quarter of 2027, is expected to generate a net emissions reduction of about 58%, equivalent to more than 60,000 tons annually compared with more than 105,000 tons of annual CO₂ emissions from car travel.
The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), meanwhile, is projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by as much as 63%, or more than 70,000 tons annually, as commuters shift to rail-based transport.
READ: Marcos leads groundbreaking for 2 Metro Manila Subway stations
The environmental gains also address broader urban concerns. A Metro Manila case study by the ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project said that “private car carbon emissions in the Philippines significantly worsen urban air quality, accelerate climate change, and pose severe public health risks, particularly in congested metropolitan areas like Metro Manila.”
READ: Marcos SONA: 2 rail projects to start running in 2027, calls for EV shift
Commuter voices
Engineering graduate Aiji said reducing emissions is particularly important for a country vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
“We are aware that the Philippines is one of the most affected everytime there are disasters happening throughout the world and a big part of it is caused by global warming, climate change which are further worsened by greenhouse gas emission,” Aiji said in mixed Filipino and English.
Former seafarer Matt, who owns a private vehicle but prefers traveling by train, also pointed to the environmental and practical benefits of rail transport.
“I have been a seafarer for a long time and we are all aware of all these environmental system. When you use fuel, of course impact sa environment yan. It adds to the heat and costs. While if you use the LRT, more faster and easier,” Matt explained also in mixed Filipino and English.
The shift to mass transit could also ease the economic cost of road congestion.
A widely cited study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency estimated that traffic costs the Philippine economy about P3.5 billion a day back in 2018. Without government intervention, the economic loss could rise to as much as P5.4 billion daily by 2035.
