‘Mas mabilis na biyahe para sa mga commuter’: JV Ejercito vows to protect funding, prevent further delays in major railway projects
September 16, 2026
Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Senator JV Ejercito on Wednesday vowed to ensure the necessary funding for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) and North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), stressing the need to prevent further delays in the country’s major railway projects.
Ejercito joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the groundbreaking ceremony of the MMSP Contract Package 109 (CP109) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Sept. 26.
The 2.413-kilometer underground route will connect Taguig City and Pasay City and will feature a dedicated underground station beneath the NAIA Terminal 3 open parking lot.
The 33.103-kilometer MMSP, financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is expected to cut travel time between Valenzuela City and NAIA Terminal 3 from more than one hour and 30 minutes to just 41 minutes.
As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and an advocate of railway development, Ejercito said he will ensure that these major infra projects receive the funding they need.
“Under my leadership as Chairperson of the Committee on Finance, I will make sure that there will be no more delays, and that our obligations will be met, especially for the North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway System,” he said.
The lawmaker from San Juan said the government should avoid a repeat of previous delays when project obligations were lodged under unprogrammed funds.
“I will make sure that foreign-assisted projects and the government participation, yung GOP na natin, will be now in the programmed appropriations and it will be prioritized,” he said.
“Kasi obligasyon natin ‘to and I don’t think we can afford for the delays kasi we are paying the commitment fee. Nagbabayad tayo kapag nade-delay.”
He explained that delays in the release of funds can affect contractors and suppliers and push back the completion of major infrastructure projects.
“Nung na-lodge siya sa unprogrammed funds… nagkaroon tayo ng delay. We do not want that to happen anymore,” Ejercito said.
Ejercito also acknowledged that the country is currently facing tight fiscal space but stressed the need to balance accountability reforms with the need to accelerate public spending.
“We need to accelerate spending, and our economy depends so much on public spending. ‘Yan po yung infrastructure. That's why I have always been pushing for infrastructure development because of its multiplier effect and long-term effect that will stimulate economic growth and spread out the development.”
“We need to start reaping the economic benefits of our railways.”
The NAIA Terminal 3 station is projected to serve about 70,000 passengers daily by 2035, with capacity expected to reach 74,000 passengers daily by 2045.
The entire Metro Manila Subway system is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2031 and will operate 30 eight-car trainsets at speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.
