Is it really finally happening? Is Metro Manila finally getting a subway?
Yesterday, the Makati City government held the groundbreaking ceremony for the Makati Subway Project.
A post from the city’s official Facebook page shows Mayor Abby Binay leading the groundbreaking and unveiling a scale model of the subway displayed in the Makati city hall’s ground floor.
What can passengers expect?
All we know now is that the subway will span 10 kilometers and will include 10 stops in key points around Makati.
Makati City government spokesperson Michael Arthur R. Camiña told reporters that they already have a tentative route for the subway but that it could be changed depending on the results of further feasibility studies, Business World reported.
This planned route will run from EDSA-Ayala to Ospital ng Makati (Makati Hospital), GMA News reported. Travel time between the two end stops is estimated at 15 mins.
Other stops include Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati Central Park, Police Stations, Circuit Makati, Makati City Hall, Poblacion Heritage District & Rockwell, EDSA Guadalupe, and the University of Makati.
One of these stops will be connected to the planned Metro Manila subway and there is also a planned integration with the Pasig River Ferry system.
When do we get to try it?
According to Makati City’s statement, it should be operational by 2023, when 12 coaches serving 27,000 passengers per hour per direction will be launched. Six more coaches will be added the next year, increasing the subway’s capacity to 40,000 passengers.
The target completion date for the project is in 2025 when it should be able to accommodate up to 700,000 people a day.
Makati City is one of Metro Manila’s central business and commercial districts. It’s where many Manileños work and it is the home of a number of multi-national companies. The area is also a popular shopping, dining, and party destination.
It goes without saying that it is also one of the main problem areas of Metro Manila’s notoriously bad traffic. One could spend more than 30 minutes just getting out of the busy Makati Ave. and into the highway EDSA, which also usually moves at a snail’s pace.
Opting to take the train instead of a car could help citizens avoid traffic but Manila’s train system is problematic too.
The metro has been lagging behind its neighboring cities when it comes to public transportation. While Hong Kong, Singapore, and even Bangkok have efficient train systems, the Philippines’ is a mess.
Last year, the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) broke down more than 500 times, The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Train stops are also limited. At the moment, there are only four MRT 3 stops in Makati.
So, yeah, if all these plans for the Makati subway indeed come true, 2023 can’t come soon enough.
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