MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the release of PHP44.17 billion to speed up the implementation of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) Phase I and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System.
The amount was released to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) after Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo approved two Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) on March 23.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DBM said the approved budget would cover critical loan proceeds requirements to ensure that construction timelines remain on track and momentum is sustained.
The PHP44.17 billion will come from the Unprogrammed Appropriations under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), specifically for Support to Foreign-Assisted Projects (SFAPs).
The DBM noted that the SFAPs serve as a mechanism to ensure the unimpeded implementation of infrastructure projects, once financing requirements are met.
Around PHP21.28 billion of the PHP44.17 billion will fund the NSCR System and MMSP Phase I financed through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, while the remaining PHP22.88 billion will support the NSCR System under its loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank.
Once completed, the MMSP and NSCR are expected to cut travel time, decongest major corridors, and provide safer, more efficient mobility for millions of daily commuters.
Toledo emphasized that the release of the budget underscores the administration’s commitment to turn infrastructure investments into immediate, tangible benefits for the public.
“These are projects that Filipinos have waited decades for,” he said. “We are making sure that funding is not the bottleneck — so these projects can move faster and deliver real relief to commuters.” (PNA)