Senate candidates from the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas on Friday called for the nationwide expansion of mass transport projects, citing the Metro Rail Transit-Line 7 (MRT-7) as a model for economic growth and urban development.
Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas City Representative Camille Villar highlighted how improved connectivity through infrastructure like MRT-7 boosts productivity, job creation and local businesses.
"We can see with the MRT-7 that when we improve interconnectivity and when infrastructure arrives in a town, there is an increase in output productivity and an increase in jobs," said Villar.
She said San Jose del Monte's (SJDM) growth proves that investment in mass transit leads to better jobs, housing, and economic opportunities.
Meantime, Senator Francis Tolentino stressed that SJDM should not just be a commuter hub but an integral part of the Mega Manila economy.
“SJDM will play a big role because it will not just be a bedroom community for Metro Manila. It would be a de facto member of the Mega Manila community. We have to prepare for that,” said Tolentino.
He also proposed amending Executive Order 325 to expand Regional Development Councils (RDCs), ensuring that cities like SJDM, Bacoor in Cavite and San Pedro in Laguna are included in Metro Manila’s transport planning.
He added that the MRT-7 would ease congestion along Commonwealth Avenue and North Luzon Expressway, while encouraging residents from Metro Manila to move to growth centers like SJDM.
Former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, on the other hand, argued that building more roads alone will not solve congestion, saying mass transit must be prioritized.
He criticized poor urban planning that failed to integrate railway systems into key infrastructure projects like the Manila Bay reclamation.
MRT-7 is a 22.8-kilometer elevated railway linking North Avenue in Quezon City to SJDM City. With 14 stations, it aims to transport up to 850,000 passengers daily once fully operational.
It connects with MRT-3 and LRT-1 at North Avenue. The project also includes a 23-kilometer highway from SJDM to Bocaue, Bulacan. The MRT-7 is expected to be fully operational by 2025.
The Alyansa slate also includes Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Senators Ramon Bong Revilla, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Lito Lapid, and former Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Vicente Sotto III and ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo.
