Daven Tamayo

MRT-4 seen to start construction in 2026, budget cuts won't affect projects: DOTr

The MRT-3 test runs an overhauled train set that runs up to 50kph on October 29, 2020, as it prepares to deploy more trains in the coming days at faster travel times. The MRT-3 aims for its trains to travel at 50kph by November and by 60kph by December. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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GCQ against COVID-19

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Construction of the MRT-4 will begin next year, the Department of Transportation said on Thursday.</p><p>Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency has engaged the services of a Spanish consultant in preparing the detailed engineering design of the MRT-4, which will run from Taytay, Rizal to the EDSA-Ortigas junction.</p><p>“We are very optimistic na masisimulan na natin ang MRT 4,” he said.</p><p>Bautista added that they have already secured the commitment of the Asian Development Bank for the funding of the project. He also said he doesn&#x27;t expect right-of-way issues to affect the railway project as it will be built along Ortigas Avenue.</p><p>Bautista said the DOTr will coordinate closely with other agencies like the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police to address the expected heavy traffic that the MRT-4&#x27;s construction will bring.</p><p>Construction of the MRT-4 has been pushed back several times. In 2020, During then President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s term, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the project may start construction by 2021 and be operational by 2025. </p><p>During President Ferdinand Marcos Jr&#x27;s term, it was eyed to begin construction in 2024, but this was  also pushed back due to design changes to the railway. A major change was the shift from a monorail system to a traditional metro rail configuration.</p><p>Once completed, the MRT-4 will run from the EDSA-Ortigas Ave. junction to Taytay, Rizal, and is expected to serve over 400,000 passengers per day.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736409669286mrt-4.PNG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The MRT-4 was originally planned to begin construction last year. <em>Source DOTr</em> </span></span></span></div><div><strong>INFRA BUDGET CUTS</strong></div><p>Meanwhile the DOTr said it is confident that cuts in the agency’s 2025 budget will not affect the implementation of their key infrastructure projects.</p><p>Bautista said there were sizeable cuts made in the loan proceeds for their foreign-assisted projects, such as the North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway. But he also said that the was able to secure assurances from the country’s development partners that they will still be able to draw from their existing loans for the implementation of the projects.</p><p>“Meron namang assurance ang mga development partners na dahil meron tayong loan agreement ay patuloy tayong papayagan na mag-draw dito sa mga loans na ito,” he said.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr earlier told Cabinet members to look at ways to restore the funds for critical administration projects that had been listed the the National Expenditure Plan for 2025 but were later defunded by Congress.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oQ91eer1ab0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Construction of the MRT-4 will begin next year, the Department of Transportation said on Thursday. </p>

Construction of the MRT-4 will begin next year, the Department of Transportation said on Thursday.