The Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed on Feb 15, 2024 a deal with Manila Electric Co. that facilitates the use of 1,743 square meters of its Valenzuela City railway depot for the latter’s switching station. This will energize the depot and propel the Metro Manila Subway Project. In the photo are (from left): Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista; Charina P. Padua, Meralco first vice president and head of customer retail services; Rene Y. Sua, Meralco head of national government accounts, and Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino.
MANILA, Philippines —Manuel Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will shell out P280 million for a switching station that will ensure “reliable and stable” power for the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway project, one of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) flagship projects.
Slated to be completed in 2026, the 115-kilovolt switching station is expected to play a crucial role in connecting the country’s first underground mass transport system to the Meralco distribution network, the company said in a statement on Monday.
“The Metro Manila Subway will definitely change the way of living in the country’s economic center,” Meralco chief operating officer and executive vice president Ronnie Aperocho said.
READ: DOTr, Meralco ink agreement on power for Metro Manila Subway
“As we continue to make significant contributions to nation-building and economic growth, this ceremony underscores Meralco’s unwavering commitment to powering the country’s critical infrastructure by providing reliable, efficient and sustainable power,” he added.
17 stations from Valenzuela to Parañaque City
Under the agreement forged last week, the DOTr will provide a 1,743-square-meter area for Meralco to link the subway to its network.
The Metro Manila Subway is expected to significantly cut travel time from Quezon City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City from over one hour to just 35 minutes.
READ: Metro Manila Subway to be fully operational in six years – DOTr
It is designed to carry an initial 370,000 passengers daily through 17 stations spanning Valenzuela City to Parañaque City.
The DOTr previously aimed to complete the project in 2025, but delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the agency to move it further to 2029. INQ