The Philippines and Japan are set to start designing an underground mass transportation system to connect major business districts and government centers in the National Capital Region.
Dubbed the Mega Manila Subway, the 25-kilometer underground transport is expected to serve around 370,000 passengers per day in its opening year, according to the DOTr information.
Estimated to cost at Php 227 billion, the subway design will begin in November, announced Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a press conference.
"The subway I think is going to be the project of the century for the Philippines. Designing of that will be in November when Prime Minister Abe will come for the ASEAN Summit," Secretary Pernia said.
The contract signing between the two governments is expected to happen when Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in the Philippines for the ASEAN ministers meeting in November.
The subway project began in 2015 under then President Benigno Aquino III, as the Mass Transit System Loop or the Light Rail Transit Line 5.
The Mega Manila Subway project study was conducted with a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
