PRRD to be remembered for ‘renaissance of PH infra’: Palace

MANILA – Despite criticisms, President Rodrigo Duterte will be remembered for the “renaissance of Philippine infrastructure” under his watch, Malacañang said Friday.Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement during the arrival of the cutter head of the first tunnel boring machine (TBM), dubbed as “Kaunlaran,” which will be used for the country’s first-ever underground railway system.

Roque said the arrival of TBM is significant because it contributes further to the rebirth of the infrastructure sector in the Philippines.

“As we know, the President has many critics and they will not stop until they regain power. But presidents will come and go. But in the annals of Philippine history, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will be remembered for the renaissance of infrastructure,” he said.

The cutter head, which weighs about 74 tons, is the largest part of a TBM meant to break, cut, and grind rocks and soil using its rotating 36-piece disc cutter.

More TBM equipment and materials are expected to arrive in the country this month. These will be transported at an undisclosed site for assembly followed by mandatory operational testing.

After testing, the TBM will be lowered to begin tunneling underground, with tunneling works for the partial operability phase of the project expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year.

A total of 25 TBMs will be utilized for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP).

Roque said the “historic and momentous” arrival of TBM proves that the government is able to modernize mass transportation in the country.

He also wants critics to remember the event as “another first of the Duterte administration”.

“Sa wakas po magkakaroon na po tayo ng subway. (Finally, we will now have a subway). We were the first to have the LRT (light rail transit) in the whole of Asia, and although we were a bit delayed in having our subway, now we can say we have truly modernized our transportation in this country,” Roque said.

The partial operability section of the MMSP’s first phase, including the construction of the depot and four stations from East Valenzuela to North Avenue in Quezon City began construction in 2019.

The Metro Manila Subway will be the country’s first underground railway system, with its first phase stretching some 34 kilometers from Valenzuela City to Paranaque City, ending with a connection to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.