Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade remained optimistic that before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office in 2022, a portion of the country's first subway project will be operational.

In a forum in Pasay City, Tugade said construction of the first three stations of the Japanese-funded Metro Manila subway project would start by the end of this year.

"As we speak today, we have formulated the plan where the first subway station ever to be constructed in the Republic of the Philippines will start construction by the end of this year," he told the Chinese businessmen.

Duterte noted that three weeks ago, the government has sent the first batch of five batches of Filipino engineers to train in Japan.

He said these engineers would act as the trainors in the Philippine Railway Institute to be put up in the country.

Asked if the government is still within its timeline to operate the first subway project in the country, Tugade said, "Yes, our timeline stands."

"That partial operability, the contractors want it 2022 first quarter. I want it 2021 last quarter. I want to be able to start the partial operability before the end of the term of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte," he added.

The first three stations of the subway, which Tugade wants to be opened under the current administration are the North Avenue, Mindanao Avenue and Tandang Sora stations in Quezon City.

Last February, the DOTr led the groundbreaking ceremony for the P350-billion Metro Manila subway project in Valenzuela City. Celerina Monte/DMS