The Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to open the country’s first cable car system in Antipolo in 2028, following an Asian Development Bank study that found the project to be viable.
“It’s our first cable car project, we were told that it will take up to two years of construction. If we are able to award the contract in 2026, it is possible to [be operational] in 2028,” said DOTr undersecretary for planning and project development Timothy John R. Batan
The ADB funded the cable car project’s pre-feasibility study which was finished earlier this year.
“The project appears viable. The next step is the detailed feasibility study which the ADB is also financing,” Batan explained.
Big picture
The government has been studying the use of cable cars to alleviate road congestion. With their smaller road footprint, cable cars ease some of the right-of-way concerns that typically affect projects.
Cable cars were also considered during the Duterte administration but did not advance.
Antipolo route
Batan said the cable car system will link Taytay station of MRT-4 to Antipolo City.
“We know that Antipolo is very dense, and has lots of residents and economic activity, so it will be complementary to connect MRT-4 to Antipolo City,” he said.
What is the MRT-4?
Planned during the Ramos administration in the mid-1990s, the current MRT-4 proposal is a $1 billion fully elevated railway system serving eastern Metro Manila and the province of Rizal, spanning 13.4 km with 10 stations.
More recent reports, this one from BusinessWorld, suggest that debt funding for the MRT-4 could still be finalized next year.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
