UNDERGROUND SPACE OPPORTUNITIES AND TUNNELING IN THE PHILIPPINES

19th WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATED RESEARCH CENTRES FOR THE URBAN UNDERGROUND SPACE, Belgrade, Serbia, November 4-7, 2025. (Paper No: 2.13.40, pp. 380-396)

АУТОР(И) / AUTHOR(S): Mark Wallace

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DOI: 10.46793/ACUUS2025.2.13.40

САЖЕТАК / ABSTRACT:

As the Philippines continues to grow and develop the demands of the growing country puts pressure on existing Infrastructure and services to provide much needed water supply, drainage, irrigation and transport to meet those increasing demands. There have been some significant tunnels and underground infrastructure built and this paper will outline the legacy and old networks and how the country is developing and expanding its underground facilities and infrastructure to meet that demand. Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao are some of the major urban areas that are looking at developing underground solutions to provide a balance to new metro lines and road networks to ease significant traffic congestion as well as meet urban growth demand from other sectors such as water, sewage, flood and power. A country with significant challenges in social, environmental and geohazards is continuing to grow rapidly with one of the quickest growing economies in Southeast Asia. This paper explores the past, present, and future of underground spaces and tunnels in the Philippines, examining their historical significance, current applications in transportation, utilities, and potential to be applied to future infrastructure development. As the country continues its economic ascent, the strategic use of underground spaces and tunnel options will be crucial in ensuring sustainable urban growth, ease of movement and resilient infrastructure development.

КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS:

Underground Space, Tunnels, Infrastructure, Rail, Road, Water, Transport, History, Philippines