RAILS, RICE, AND ROADS

Marcos' SONA promises 3 years later

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS

President Marcos is set to deliver his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 28, likely with a familiar backdrop of trains, bridges, and rice—symbols that have come to define his administration's image of progress. But beyond the stylized visuals and slogans, how much of what he promised in his first three SONAs has actually been accomplished?

Now, halfway through his six-year term, the President faces a growing need to move from promises to proof.

His administration's track record on transportation, agriculture, and infrastructure reveals a mixed picture: one key promise has been delivered, while others remain delayed or are still ongoing.

Pillar 1: Rails In his SONA last year, Marcos spoke of a "railway renaissance" that would modernize public transportation and decongest Metro Manila.

Flagship projects, such as the MRT-7, the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), the Metro Manila Subway, and the Mindanao Railway, were all positioned as cornerstones of this promise.

Progress on the rails has been visible though incomplete.

The MRT-7, which will connect Quezon City to Bulacan, is approximately 83 percent complete, and is projected to begin partial operations by the end of 2025.

The 147-kilometer NSCR, considered the largest rail project in Southeast Asia, is under active construction, although parts of it have encountered delays due to right-of-way issues.

The Metro Manila Subway, hailed as the country's first underground railway system, finally began tunneling in 2023. Marcos hopes to inaugurate it by the end of his term.

Meanwhile, the Mindanao Railway Project, like the South Long Haul Project in Bicol, remains stuck in preconstruction, with key procurement hurdles and land acquisition delays slowing its rollout.