The subway train as envisioned by the Department of Finance and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). DoF PHOTO “Cooperation in traffic and transport infrastructure problems, peace and development in Mindanao, safety and counter terrorism measures and information and technology also taken up.”

Top Philippine and Japanese economic officials held discussions in Tokyo last week to speed up the pace of flagship infrastructures funded by Japan including the subway and the Northrail projects that are both targeted to start in 2022.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the meeting in Tokyo discussed the timelines and plans of action to remove bottlenecks and swiftly address concerns on the preparation and implementation of the projects.

During the Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation, Japanese officials expressed their government’s intention to provide official development assistance (ODA) loans to the MRT Line 3 rehabilitation project worth about 38.1 billion yen (P18.3 billion) and a supplemental loan worth 4.37 billion yen (P2.1 billion) for the second phase of the New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environmental Protection Project.

Dominguez said he extended the Philippines’ appreciation for Japan’s full support for these projects under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

Aside from the two projects, the committee also confirmed the shortlist of projects that Japan intends to provide assistance to.

These projects include the Philippine National Railways (PNR) North 2 Project, which will run from Malolos in Bulacan to Clark in Pampanga; PNR South Commuter Line, which will extend from Tutuban in Manila to Calamba in Laguna; Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project, which aims to reduce flooding in Metro Manila; and the Road Network Development Project running through conflict areas in Mindanao.

Officials of both countries also reaffirmed their commitment toward the partial start of the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project by May 2022, subject to the progress of the measures that need to be carried out to deal with various concerns, such as land acquisition and relocation of utilities.

Dominguez and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia headed the Philippine delegation during the meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister, while the Japanese side was led by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and Shigeru Kiyama, the special advisor to the Cabinet.

“This is now our fifth meeting since March 2017 and it is evident that our frequent meetings are beginning to bear positive results,” Dominguez said. “Indeed, our commitment and efforts to fast-track loan processing and project implementation are gaining headway.”

Dominguez said that “as a result of these high-level meetings, our various agencies have been coordinating regularly to implement our agreed and joint actions to facilitate and hasten project implementation.”

Suga, meanwhile, expressed hope the latest meeting would lead to more “fruitful and constructive discussions towards fast and secure implementation of the projects.”

“This joint committee has been (convening) for the important plan in developing multi-layer bilateral cooperation since we discussed cooperation in various areas such as traffic and transport infrastructure problems, the Metro Manila Subway project, peace and development in Mindanao, safety and counter terrorism measures and information and technology,” Suga said.

Dominguez said the signing of the Exchange of Notes for projects is targeted in November.

“We will also exert efforts to achieve the challenging goal of making the North rail section partially operational by 2022,” he added.

The South rail section, meanwhile, would require more time to commence operations because of the existing railway and complexity of the project design.

“Both sides will continue to have consultations at the technical working level to accelerate implementation and address challenges for the railway projects,” Dominguez said.