THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said the city government of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan agreed last month to the new location of the Metro Rail Transit Line-7 (MRT-7) station in that city.
“The alignment agreed in September 2024 has also been reaffirmed by the San Jose del Monte government in March 2025,” Michelle De Vera, assistant secretary for communications and commuter affairs at the DoTr, said via Viber on Wednesday.
Ms. De Vera said the realignment will not impact the projected start of MRT-7 operations.
The San Jose del Monte stop will now be located near the boundary of San Jose del Monte and north Caloocan, instead of the initial site, which was near the Muzon-Tungkong Mangga Road intersection, according to Philippine Information Agency.
According to the NEDA Central Luzon office website, the project is now 78.63% complete and is targeted for partial operations by 2026 and full operations by 2027.
Last year, the DoTr said the MRT-7, a project of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), is experiencing delays due to the right-of-way (RoW) issues in San Jose del Monte.
MRT-7, which will have 14 stops, will run from Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, and is expected to carry 300,000 passengers daily in its first year, and up to 850,000 passengers a day by the 12th year.
SMC is financing the construction and will operate the 23-kilometer commuter rail system under a 25-year concession agreement.
The commuter rail line’s stations are 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 San Jose del Monte.
In 2024, the DoTr said it is looking at operating the Quezon City leg or the Quezon/North Avenue Joint Station up to Tandang Sora station. — Ashley Erika O. Jose