All eyes were on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today as he delivered his fifth State of the Nation address. Considering how badly the transport sector (and all other industries, for that matter) has been hit this year with the skyrocketing fuel prices, the public looked ot the President for potential solutions amid this seemingly never-ending energy crisis brought about by the war in the Middle East.
PBBM touched upon the ongoing big-ticket public transport infrastructure projects such as the MRT-7 and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR). The President reiterated the targeted partial completion of the MRT-7 by next year, as well as the partial operability of the NSCR from Valenzuela to Malolos.
Marcos Jr. also confirmed that the goal is to finish the NSCR by the end of this administration in 2028. He credited the uptick in progress with these transport projects to Republic Act No. 12289 or the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act, which amended the 2016 Right-of-Way Act in the Philippines and addressed one of the biggest bottlenecks of these major infrastructure projects.
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PBBM also noted the local automotive industry’s shift to electrification and shared how the removal of tariffs on electric vehicles has given this shift a boos. He also shared that the government’s goal is 50% EV adoption across the market by 2040.
“Mithiin natin na sa pagdating ng 2040, kalahati ng mga sasakyan natin ay EV na.”
“Government has also been mandated to prioritize electric vehicles in their re-fleeting plans. This clean and green policy is two-pronged—it shall also spur growth of our domestic local industries across the EV value chain, specifically those involved in the vehicle assembly and manufacturing of batteries and related spare parts.”
PBBM also mentioned the deployment of the electric Love Bus and the M/B Dalaray fully electric passenger ferry. The latter, according to the President, will be eventually used for the Pasig River Ferry.
Lastly, President Marcos Jr. also noted the partial opening of the South Luzon Expressway–Toll Road 4 (SLEX-TR4) this year, which he also talked about in his SONA 2025.
Which other transport-related issues would you have wanted to see the President talk about in his fifth SONA? Let us know in the comments.
