The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has deployed another tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), further accelerating drilling activities along the Camp Aguinaldo-Anonas segment.
The launch marks another milestone for the country’s first underground rail system, with the newly deployed TBM set to excavate tunnels between Camp Aguinaldo and Anonas.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez stated that the addition of the new TBM will hasten construction progress. The machine can drill an average of nine meters per day and is expected to complete the Camp Aguinaldo-Anonas tunnel within six months.
Lopez also revealed that another TBM is being assembled and will be deployed in Camp Aguinaldo within two months. Meanwhile, two other TBMs have already completed over 1,000 meters of tunneling between Camp Aguinaldo and Ortigas.
Currently, eight TBMs are in operation across several northern segments of the subway, including Valenzuela, Quezon City, and Pasig.
“Additional tunnel boring machines mean less time for us to finish this project, and we intend to keep this pace up in building the subway,” Lopez said, adding that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DOTr to accelerate completion of major transport projects to improve commuter mobility through mass transit.
Originally targeted for operation by 2029, the ₱488.5-billion MMSP—co-financed by Japan—has been rescheduled for completion by 2032 due to right-of-way (ROW) delays.
Recently, the DOTr resolved a major ROW issue in Corinthian Gardens, securing a 500-meter alignment that spans 33 properties, with compensation amounting to ₱820.56 million. This development will allow drilling in the area to begin by January 2026.
Once completed, the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway will connect 17 stations from Valenzuela to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, promising faster, more reliable, and sustainable transport for millions of commuters.