BCDA monorail project gets Japan grant

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said the government of Japan was funding the pre-feasibility study of the BCDA Monorail project, which would connect the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system to Bonifacio Global City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the Japanese government, through the Ministry of Economy, Transportation and Industry (METI), had issued a Certificate of Acceptance to fund the pre-feasibility study.

The Certificate of Acceptance signed by METI director for financial cooperation Masashi Iwanaga read, “We are pleased to inform you that your proposal, Study on the Monorail  Project in Central Manila, the Republic of the Philippines, has been selected for implementation under the ’Study on Economic Partnership Projects in Development Countries in FY2012.’”

Details of the grant and project are not yet available, Casanova said. Even so, the official welcomed the notice for the grant.

“We welcome this development as good news and a step forward in realizing the monorail project that would serve millions of commuters in Metro Manila,” Casanova said.

Casanova said the proposed 12.56-km alignment of the BCDA monorail project would start from the MRT 3 Station in Guadalupe, enter Bonifacio Global City through the north gate and end at NAIA 3 Terminal Building.

The monorail project is seen to be completed by 2016.