MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, September 16, led the groundbreaking of the NAIA Terminal 3 Station of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), marking another major step in efforts to connect the country’s main gateway directly to the capital’s planned underground rail network.
The station is planned to serve passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City, giving travelers a direct rail connection to the subway system rather than requiring road-based transfers for the airport leg of their journey. Inquirer reported that Marcos described the station as providing the airport’s first direct rail access.
NAIA gets a key link to the subway network
The NAIA Terminal 3 station is part of the larger Metro Manila Subway, a flagship rail project designed to connect northern and southern parts of the capital region through an underground system.
The project is intended to improve connectivity across Metro Manila and provide an alternative to heavily congested roads. Government officials have repeatedly presented the subway as a long-term solution to the region’s transportation challenges.
The President’s latest groundbreaking follows earlier construction milestones for the subway. In February, Marcos led the groundbreaking for the Kalayaan Avenue and Bonifacio Global City stations, underscoring the continuing expansion of active subway construction.
What the airport connection could mean for travelers
A direct subway station at NAIA Terminal 3 could eventually give passengers another way to travel between the airport and major parts of Metro Manila without relying exclusively on road transportation.
For commuters and travelers, the potential benefit is particularly significant because airport journeys are vulnerable to traffic congestion. The subway’s planned network is intended to provide a more predictable rail alternative as additional sections become operational.
Government officials have also highlighted the project’s potential to reduce travel times. Earlier this year, Marcos said the completed subway could substantially shorten journeys between northern Metro Manila and the airport area.
A project years in the making
The Metro Manila Subway has been developed as one of the country’s largest transportation infrastructure projects, with construction progressing through multiple contract packages and station sites.
The government has faced challenges involving right-of-way acquisition, construction and project implementation, factors that have affected the timetable for the system.
Despite those challenges, construction milestones have continued, including the groundbreaking of additional stations in 2026. The NAIA Terminal 3 ceremony now adds one of the country’s most important international and domestic travel hubs to the subway’s developing network.
From airport traffic to underground rail
The NAIA Terminal 3 station represents more than another stop on a rail map: it is planned as an important connection between air travel and Metro Manila’s mass-transit network.
Once the relevant subway sections are completed and operational, passengers could have a rail-based option for reaching the airport while commuters could gain another connection between key business, residential and transportation districts.
For now, however, the groundbreaking marks the start of another stage of construction—not the opening of the station. The project’s final benefits will depend on continued construction, integration with the rest of the subway network and the eventual start of passenger operations.
With the NAIA station now moving forward, the question for millions of future passengers is no longer simply whether Metro Manila will get an underground railway—but how soon the airport connection will become part of everyday travel.
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