By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — Contrary to circulating reports that only 13 stations will push through, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) clarified that the US$1.6-billion (approximately ₱81.5 billion) Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) project will operate with 14 stations, including the Bulacan station in San Jose del Monte (SJDM).
Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez said the San Jose del Monte (SJDM) station remains part of the MRT-7 project and has not been removed from the approved alignment.
Lopez earlier said MRT-7’s initial operations covering 12 stations (from Sacred Heart to North Avenue) are targeted to begin by the second quarter of 2027, while the Tala and SJDM stations are slated for completion and opening in 2028.
The 22-kilometer railway project will consist of 14 stations: Quezon North Avenue Joint Station, Quezon Memorial Circle, University Avenue, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio, Batasan, Manggahan, Doña Carmen, Regalado, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino, Sacred Heart, Tala, and SJDM.
“Once fully operational, the train line is expected to serve 300,000 passengers daily, cutting travel time from two to three hours to just 35 minutes,” Lopez said.
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