On November 19, 2024, four days after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated Phase 1 of the LRT-1 South Extension, Mark V. (from Quezon City) took the train from end-to-end, roundtrip. The journey took him about two-and-a-half hours—about the same as his commute time one way by MRT and bus.
“That’s half of my normal commute. This is a big relief to commuters like me,” he said, taking videos of the smooth train ride.
The line extension of Metro Manila’s first light rail transit comes 40 years after the President’s father and namesake, President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., inaugurated the LRT-1’s United Nations to Baclaran stations in September 1984.
At the launch of the extension project, the President acknowledged his father’s efforts in initiating the construction of the country’s first urban rail transit system. Noting that his father’s initiative grew into a large rail transit system that serves the metropolis, he said, “On this day, no one is happier than a son in seeing that his father’s foresight is being validated by another work that expands mass transit that he had built for the people that he loved.”
Phase 1 of the LRT-1 South Extension spans 6.2 kilometers and adds five new stations: Redemptorist-Aseana, MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, and Dr. Santos (Sucat). It’s expected to boost daily ridership by 80,000, bringing the line’s total capacity to 400,000 commuters—that’s potentially 400,000 fewer cars and buses clogging Metro Manila’s streets.
But the LRT-1 South Extension, which will extend further to Bacoor, Cavite by 2031, is just the beginning. Two even bigger railway projects are reshaping the Philippine transportation landscape.
NSCR: Game-changer for regional connectivity
The largest and most ambitious rail project – the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) – is progressing according to schedule. Stretching 147 kilometers, the NSCR will link New Clark City in Tarlac to Calamba in Laguna, covering 36 stations and three regions: Central Luzon, Metro Manila and Calabarzon.
As of October 2024, the Philippine National Railways’ (PNR) contractors have completed fencing, track removal and clearing operations for the elevated sections of the NSCR. In the same month, construction of the Malolos-Clark phase reached the halfway mark (49.20 percent).
Target full operations is 2029. When fully operational, the NSCR can accommodate up to 800,000 passengers daily. Travel time will be drastically reduced—for instance, travel from Clark Airport to Calamba will take less than two hours, compared to the current four or more hours.
The NSCR is likewise expected to revolutionize transport of goods and generate jobs even after project completion.
Metro Manila Subway: ‘Crown Jewel” of PHL mass transport
The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), the country’s first underground railway, is another groundbreaking initiative under President Marcos’s administration. Dubbed the “Crown Jewel” of Philippine mass transit, this 36-kilometer subway will connect Valenzuela to Sucat, with a spur line to NAIA Terminal 3.
Since tunneling began in January 2023, the project has hit significant milestones. Phase 1 – scheduled to partially operate by 2028 – will initially serve 370,000 passengers daily across 17 stations. Once fully operational, the subway is designed to accommodate up to 1.5 million passengers daily.
The subway will slash travel times across Metro Manila. For instance, Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3 will take just 40 minutes, compared to over two hours by car during rush hour traffic. Trains running at speeds of up to 80 km/h and arriving every five minutes promise a fast, reliable, and efficient commuting experience.
A collective transformation
Together, these three rail projects—LRT-1 South Extension, NSCR and MMSP—will move over 1.25 million passengers daily, spanning 186.2 kilometers across dozens of cities and provinces. This unprecedented scale of connectivity will ease traffic congestion, stimulate economic growth, improve livability, and promote sustainability.
By diverting hundreds of thousands of passengers from road-based transport, the projects will decongest Metro Manila’s notoriously clogged streets. By enhancing connectivity, it will boost trade, tourism and investments, particularly in regions linked by the NSCR and subway.
With reduced travel times, these modern and comfortable transit systems will significantly improve the quality of life for millions of Filipinos. And more importantly, especially to GenZ’ers and millennials, these transit systems’ electric-powered trains will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change.
Pres. Marcos: ‘Moving forward with vision’
Pres. Marcos recognizes that efficient transportation systems drive economic progress and improve lives. “By investing in these transformative rail projects, we are not just building infrastructure; we are building a future where every Filipino can move freely, efficiently, and sustainably,” he said.
With the LRT-1 South Extension already operational, the NSCR making significant strides, and the Metro Manila Subway steadily tunneling ahead, the Marcos administration’s rail projects are going full speed ahead—bringing the Philippines closer to a modern, interconnected, and thriving future. (PTV)
