Bringing Metro Manila Closer to the World: Subway Breaks Ground at NAIA Terminal 3

A new chapter in Metro Manila's railway development began today with the groundbreaking ceremony for the NAIA Terminal 3 Station of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP).

The ceremony was led by H.E. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Senator JV Ejercito, DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez, Embassy of Japan Chargé d’Affaires ONO Sho, JICA Chief Representative BABA Takashi, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) President Ramon Ang, Pasay Mayor Emi Rubiano, project partners, local government officials, and other stakeholders on September 16 in NAIA Terminal 3 grounds.

The NAIA Terminal 3 Station is an important component of the MMSP, as it will provide a direct rail connection between the airport and the Metro Manila subway network. The construction of the station or Contract Package 109 (CP109) will be completed by the Taisei-DMCI Joint Venture.

For millions of passengers travelling to and from the country's main international gateway, reaching NAIA can mean navigating some of the busiest roads in Metro Manila. The subway aims to provide a faster and more reliable alternative. Once operational, the journey between Valenzuela City and NAIA Terminal 3 is expected to take around 40 minutes significantly reducing travel time compared with road travel, which is subject to Metro Manila's unpredictable traffic conditions.

Beyond the minutes saved, the airport connection will help bring Metro Manila closer to the world by making travel across the metropolis more seamless. Passengers will benefit from improved connectivity between the airport and key destinations across the region, further facilitating convenient travel for work, business, tourism, education, and visits to family and friends.

The MMSP is part of JICA's support for railway development in the Philippines helping the country develop an integrated and sustainable urban transport system for Metro Manila that will keep people, opportunities and economic activities moving as the capital region continues to grow.

As Japan and the Philippines celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations, the Metro Manila Subway demonstrates their evolving cooperation as partners in delivering quality infrastructure and advancing sustainable urban development. Today's groundbreaking brings the vision of a more connected Metro Manila one step closer to reality, bringing the city closer to the world through fast, reliable, and convenient airport connectivity.