MANILA -- Riding the Mega Manila Subway will cost at least P22, with an additional P2 per kilometer, an official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) told the House Committee on Transportation on Thursday.

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"Ang fare batay ho sa feasibility study, P22 plus P2 per kilometer," Undersecretary for Railway Cesar Chavez told the panel.

Chavez also told lawmakers that the subway will interconnect with present and future railway systems including the North-South Commuter Railway.

"Ang subway ay connected sa MRT 7 ang subway ay connected sa MRT 3 ang subway ay connected sa LRT Line 1. Ang Subway ay connected sa LRT 2 sa Anonas Station, ang Subway ay connencted din po sa Ortigas Station ng MRT 4, soon to be discussed and hopefully approved by the NEDA, and subway is also connected to North South Commuter Railway Project," Chavez said.

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When asked about the safety of the subway since the country is earthquake-prone, he answered in the affirmative.

"As it is planned, it is safe," Chavez said.

Chavez recalled that the builder of the subway also built similar systems in other countries.

The subway will have 17 stations that will connect Valenzuela City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Its daily ridership capacity is pegged between 400,000 to as high 800,000.

While originally estimated to cost around P350 billion, the project’s total cost was raised to P488.48 billion in 2021.

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