Metro Cebu Subway

In the Philippines, subway construction is not yet that common compared to other countries. Hopefully, the completion of the Cebu Subway this year will mark the third and the longest subway and similar underpass in the Philippines -- the other two being constructed at the intersections of Katipunan Avenue - Serrano Avenue - Circumferential Road No. 5 in Quezon City and at the EDSA and Ayala Avenue in Makati City.

The Segment 3B – 2 is the subway section of the Cebu South Coastal Road Project as part of the Phase III of the Metro Cebu Development Project (MCDP), headed by Engr. Nilo Pamaylaon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as the Project Director. At present, the DPWH is in the final stages of completing the whole project as it undertakes the last phase of the Segment 3B-2 Subway Section, a first-of-its-kind project in the country being undertaken by one of the most experienced contractors in the world, the Kajima Corporation. It is hopefully expected that its opening will attract investors and will improve the marketability of the 302-hectare South Road Properties (SRP).

The 977 meter Cebu Subway is divided into three sections: the 190 meter U-shape entrance, the 610 meter box tunnel and the 177 meter roadway. A cut and cover method of construction was used. Simple as it may seem but its location, which is at the reclamation area, was taken as a challenge by its contractor, the Kajima Corporation. For tunnels, much like this one, which is close to the seawater, one of the biggest challenges is keeping the water at bay. For this project, contractors had to excavate 30 meters underground and use sheet piles which are 25 meters thick to cut the water because the said project is 20 feet below sea level (Maeda, Kajima Corporation).

The construction of the Metro Cebu Subway started last June 28, 2006. It connects the highway and the South Reclamation Project coastal road. The boring of the tunnel began at the present gate going to the coastal road, then level off under Plaza Independencia and comes out of the Mc Arthur Boulevard.

The original design was a flyover, but was scrapped because it meant going through the historical site and had met oppositions from environmentalists, tourism and church leaders (Pamaylaon, MCDP III Project Director).

The Cebu South Coastal Road Project – Metro Cebu Development Project, Phase III (MCDP III) consists of three segments. Segment 1 – Talisay Section, Segment 2 – Causeway Section, and Segment 3 – Viaduct cum Subway section which comprises three sections: the viaduct, offshore ramps and tunnel sections.


Congratulations to the Queen City of the South!