Trained rail pool assured

The Department of Transportation or DoTr has assured the Japanese government that railway engineers and technicians will receive quality training to prepare them for the entire operation of the Metro Manila Subway Project before the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s term in 2028.        

DoTr Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez assured Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a briefing at the Philippine Railways Institute during the Japanese leader's visit to the MMSP construction site in Valenzuela City.

Kishida visited the Philippines last weekend, meeting with President Marcos to tackle several issues, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea. Kishida also addressed a joint session of Congress.

Chavez informed Kishida that training is underway at the PRI to prepare Filipino engineers and technicians for the operation of MRT 7 starting in 2025.

The Japanese government is funding five railway projects at over 1.315 trillion yen.

These are the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, LRT Line 2 East Extension, MRT Line 3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance, North-South Commuter Rail System and the MMSP.

While escorting Kishida to the PRI train simulator room, Chavez assured him that the Philippine government, through the DoTr, would ensure the railway system personnel were adequately trained.

According to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, the DoTr is initially eyeing the partial operation of the MMSP.

"Maybe not the whole 33 kilometers," Bautista said, noting that work on the subway is picking up as the government brings in more boring machines. The boring machine is scheduled to reach Quirino Avenue from Valenzuela in Bulacan by the end of the year.

Bautista said two more boring tunnel machines that would be used to bore from Metrowalk to Shaw Boulevard are also set to arrive. "By February, we will have six boring machines so that the work will go faster," he said.

The MMSP will start from Valenzuela and go through Quezon City, Pasig, Makati, to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 and Bicutan.

From there, it will go to the North-South Commuter Railway and Calamba.