Japan firm eyed to build $6B subway

THE Philippines Department of Transportation (DOTr) is in talks with Shimizu Corp, one of Japan’s largest construction companies, for the Manila subway project ahead of the target groundbreaking ceremony toward the end of 2018.

The DOTr on Monday said it had a meeting with representatives from both Shimizu and Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is funding most of the subway project, valued at around 350 billion pesos ($6.6 billion).

Shimizu is one of Japan’s largest contractors. It built several subway projects in Japan as well as in Taiwan, where it built a railway link to the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

DOTr officials did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.

The Metro Manila subway project, which will span at least 25 kilometres, was given the go-ahead by the board of the National Economic and Development Authority last September. It will link Quezon City to Taguig City. The DOTr also wants a connection to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The subway’s proposed stations will be located in Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, Katipunan, Ortigas

North, Ortigas South, Kalayaan Avenue, Bonifacio Globe City, Cayetano Boulevard and the Food Terminal Inc. complex.

Full completion is seen in 2025. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had said the first three stations could be operational by 2022.

The subway project is expected to address worsening road congestion in Metro Manila. JICA said daily economic losses from traffic amounted to about P3.5 billion ($66 million) per day as of 2017.