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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed continued support for the Philippines’ “Build Better More” infrastructure program
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Infrastructure support includes the Manila Metro Subway Project and Dalton Pass
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged continued support for the Philippines’ “Build Better More” infrastructure projects.
Kishida confirmed support for the Dalton Pass and the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) during his meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Malacañang on November 3, at the beginning of his two-day state visit to the Philippines.
“In the area of economy, I mentioned we will continue with the public-private support for infrastructure development such as the Dalton Pass and the [Metro Manila] (Subway Project) in line with President Marcos’ Build Better More policy,” Kishida said in a statement.
The support aligns with Japan’s commitment to aid in the smart agriculture and renewable energy adoption for the Philippines.
The P37-billion Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project, identified as one of the country’s infrastructure flagship projects, is a four-lane, 23.5-kilometer alternative road that will connect the cities and provinces of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija to Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency-funded MMSP, on the other hand, aims to address Mega Manila’s rising transportation demand and alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Manila through an urban railway line, including a subway section.
On Saturday, Kishida, alongside Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, inspected the construction progress of MMSP.
Bautista showcased the launching shaft of the subway’s tunnel boring machine in its Valenzuela City depot.
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Construction is ongoing for the 33-kilometer, 17-station subway that will stretch from Valenzuela City to Paranaque City, with a spur line to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Once completed, the underground rail system is expected to reduce travel time between Valenzuela City and Pasay City from 1 hour and 30 minutes to 35 minutes and service over 500,000 passengers daily.
