Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
December 16, 2021
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the unveiling of the new Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) train sets in a ceremonial program at the MRT-7 tracks along Commonwealth Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City.
“With a total cost of 77 billion pesos, the MRT-7 was funded through a Public and Private Partnership with the San Miguel Corporation under a Build-Transfer-Operate Arrangement, with a concession period of 25 years,” the President stated in his keynote speech.
The MRT-7 is a 24.7-kilometer rail and road project that starts from North Avenue in Quezon City and ends in the City of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.
A total number of 108 rail cars or 36 train sets were acquired from South Korea that will traverse 14 stations. It is expected to serve around 300,000 passengers in its first year of operations, and will reach up to 850,000 passengers daily on its 12th year.
“The MRT-7 project will provide the public with a fast, efficient, convenient, safe and reliable transportation system that would result in the increased productivity of workers and businesses in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces. It is also good to know that this new train system will help minimize air pollution as it is a greener and more energy-efficient means of transportation,” President Duterte added.
The said project also involves the construction of electric power systems, computer and communications system, signaling systems, and automatic fare systems, among others. Currently, the project stands at 62% overall progress rate.
Once completed, the MRT-7 will significantly reduce travel time between North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan from 2-3 hours to just 35 minutes, and will eventually contribute to the reduction of traffic in Metro Manila.
“The arrival of the trains and the significant progress made on the MRT-7 project confirm this Administration’s strong commitment to pursue critical infrastructure projects even amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, I enjoin all government agencies to ensure the prompt implementation and completion of significant government projects, while still upholding transparency, integrity and accountability in the, in each operation,” President Duterte underscored in the latter part of his message.
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