Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency aims to complete the maintenance of 18 airports by June, just before the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The transportation official made the progress report, which included aviation, road sector and maritime project updates, in a briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.

“We also reported ports that will be completed before June, around 20 of these. And of course, road sector projects, which will include the construction of the mega bike lanes and there are more projects for example in the rail sector,” Bautista said.

The transportation department also reported to the President the finalization of different contract packages for the North-South Commuter Railway, as well as contract packages for the Metro Manila Subway.

The Metro Manila subway will have 17 stations connecting Valenzuela City to Pasay City and is expected to serve over 519,000 passengers daily once it becomes operational.

President Marcos earlier said he sees “better days ahead” in the country’s public transportation system as he vowed to sustain the implementation of big-ticket infrastructure projects while underscoring their importance to economic development and job generation.

In the briefing, Bautista said the DOTr also reported developments in relation to the completion of railway projects that include the MRT-7, which the agency expects to be completed by June of 2025, as well as the extension of LRT-1 from Baclaran to Sucat, which are expected to be completed by 2024. #