By: Sophia Pacheco
Photo courtesy of San Miguel Corporation
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that 12 stations of Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) are targeted to begin full commercial operations by the second quarter of 2027, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.
MRT-7’s 12-station segment, running from Sacred Heart in Caloocan to North Avenue in Quezon City, is expected to open for daily service to commuters by mid-2027.
"At ang MRT-7, ang daily operations po niyan, 12 stations from Sacred Heart dito sa Caloocan all the way sa North Avenue, mga second quarter of 2027. 'Yan talaga full operation na 'yan. Ibig sabihin, revenue line na 'yan," Lopez said.
The 22-kilometer elevated line, still under construction, will eventually have 14 stations connecting Metro Manila to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan when fully completed.
Construction delays have persisted due to right-of-way issues and setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, but DOTr remains “confident” the revised timeline will be met or potentially moved earlier with continued progress, Lopez said.
Once operational, the line is expected to serve up to 500,000 passengers daily, the transport department said.
MRT-7 is being built under a public-private partnership between the DOTr and San Miguel Corp., with initial works dating back to 2016.
In related rail developments, the DOTr has also said that segments of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) North-South Commuter Railway project may open in 2027, with right-of-way issues being addressed to meet that target.