The agreements, signed with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on March 27, cover a JPY 220 billion (P83.6 billion) tranche for the Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1 and JPY 1.672 billion (P635.4 million) for engineering services of the Central Mindanao High Standard Highway.
The subway funding will support civil works, electromechanical systems, rolling stock, and consultancy services as the country’s first underground rail system moves closer to completion.
In Mindanao, the financing will fund detailed engineering for a new high standard highway connecting Cagayan de Oro and Malaybalay, designed to handle heavier traffic and improve road safety.
Once completed, travel time between the two cities is expected to be cut nearly in half—from 6.5 hours to just 3.5 hours—streamlining the movement of goods and people.
The dual projects target two of the country’s biggest bottlenecks: chronic urban congestion in the capital and weak inter-city connectivity in key regional corridors.
For businesses, the upgrades translate to lower logistics costs, faster delivery times, and improved access to markets, particularly for agriculture and regional industries.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
