DOTr to conduct demand study on Cebu subway

• The Department of Transportation will conduct a study on the proposed Cebu subway to look into ridership demand

• The planned 60km to 65km rail line will run from Carcar City to Danao City and aims to alleviate traffic congestion in the area

• Discussions with the Cebu provincial government for the project began in 2024 and is part of DOTr’s master plan for Cebu to decongest its roads and encourage the use of public transport

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will conduct a study on the proposed Cebu subway to look into ridership demand.

The planned 60 kilometer to 65km underground rail line will run from Carcar City to Danao City and is aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in the area, Transportation undersecretary for planning and project development Timothy John Batan said during the recent episode of DOTr’s radio program “Sakay Na!” on Radyo Pilipinas.

A report from Sugbo News, Cebu provincial government’s official news network, last year, however, said the proposed subway will be 67.5 km.

READ: DOTr proposes 67.5km Cebu subway

Batan noted the traffic in Cebu is due to limited roads that can no longer be expanded , thus requiring a solution that involves public transportation, such as a rail line. But unlike in Metro Manila—which has long stretches of wide roads—Cebu province does not, making construction of an elevated rail line difficult, hence, the idea for the Cebu subway.

Discussions with the Cebu provincial government for the project started in 2024 and is part of DOTr’s master plan for Cebu to decongest its roads and encourage the use of public transport.

He added that one of the directions being taken is for the local governments in Cebu to be “very involved” in the planning to ensure the project is suitable and responsive to requirements of the Cebu ridership.

Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia last year proposed to open the proposed subway project to private firms as a public-private partnership, the preferred mode of executing large-scale projects in Cebu.

She also proposed allowing Cebu local government units—which will issue permits for the project—to handle the project while DOTr will maintain its supervisory control to expedite execution and completion.

If it pushes through, the Cebu subway will be the second underground rail line in the Philippines following the Metro Manila Subway project, construction of which is ongoing.

READ: Additional tunnel boring machine for MM subway launched