5
ANOTHER SUBWAY TUNNEL REACHED QUEZON AVENUE, BUT OPERATIONS ARE STILL YEARS AWAY
A tunnel-boring machine working on the Metro Manila Subway broke through at the planned Quezon Avenue Station. The government described it as the first breakthrough at that station under the contract package covering tunnels and stations in the North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, and East Avenue area.
The event shows that a major underground segment has been bored. It does not mean the line or even that section is open to passengers. Stations, tracks, power, signaling, ventilation, safety systems, rolling stock, testing, and connections across the full route still have to be finished.
The government now reports overall project progress at about 60 percent. The 17-station line is intended to connect Valenzuela City with Ninoy Aquino International Airport, with an official target of full operations in 2032. The estimated project cost is ₱488.48 billion, financed through Japanese loans and Philippine counterpart funding.
For commuters, the useful sign of progress will be movement from tunneling to completed stations, connected systems, test runs, and a credible opening schedule. A ceremonial breakthrough is one construction milestone in a much larger project.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch the completion rates for stations and railway systems, the delivery and testing of trains, right-of-way issues, changes in cost or schedule, and whether the government publishes a realistic sequence for partial and full operations.