MRT-4 construction delayed again, now set to start in 2028

 Full operations have been pushed to 2033, with residents advised to prepare for heavier traffic once construction begins.

The long-awaited MRT-4 project linking Metro Manila to Rizal has been pushed back again, with local officials saying construction is now expected to begin in 2028 while full operations are targeted for 2033.

Taytay Councilor John Tobit Cruz shared the updated timeline after attending an alignment meeting with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the primary financier of the railway project. He noted that the latest schedule differs from the agency’s earlier plans announced in 2022.

In a Facebook post, Cruz said the bigger concern now is preparing for the traffic disruption expected during construction, particularly along Ortigas Avenue and Ortigas Extension.

The revised schedule adds another delay to a project that has already missed several target dates.

Construction was initially expected to begin in 2021, with operations by 2025. It was then rescheduled for a 2024 groundbreaking before being pushed further to 2027 after the project changed from a monorail to a conventional metro rail system.

Earlier this year, the DOTr said it was finalizing funding arrangements with the ADB after project costs exceeded the original ₱59-billion estimate due to changes in the railway design.

Once completed, the MRT-4 will connect the EDSA-Ortigas area to Taytay through 10 stations and serve more than 400,000 passengers daily, offering a long-awaited rail alternative for commuters traveling between eastern Metro Manila and Rizal.

For now, however, residents may have to brace for several more years of waiting and, eventually, years of heavier traffic before the line can begin easing one of the country’s busiest transport corridors.

READ: