Japan backs Phl subway, Mindanao highway projects

Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines Endo Kazuya and DFA Secretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro signed loan agreements for the Metro Manila Subway (Phase 1 IV) and the Cagayan de Oro–Malaybalay highway project.

The projects are: Phase 1 (IV) of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), with a loan ceiling of approximately 220 billion yen, and the Central Mindanao High Standard Highway Construction Project (Cagayan de Oro–Malaybalay Section) for engineering services, with a loan limit of about 1.672 billion yen.

The MMSP is designed to meet rising transportation demand in Metro Manila, ease heavy traffic congestion, and help address air pollution and climate change through the development of an underground rail system.

Meanwhile, the Central Mindanao High Standard Highway project covers the development of the Cagayan de Oro–Malaybalay segment, part of a key corridor linking Cagayan de Oro and Davao—two major cities in Mindanao. The initiative is expected to enhance connectivity and accessibility, supporting economic growth and social development across the region.