My Take (Arnulf Christa): The award in Manila shows that German and European companies are increasingly falling behind in major transportation projects in Asia. Japanese general contractors and local partners are occupying these markets, supported by state development credits such as those from JICA. BAUER has already demonstrated for years that as a specialist, you can still compete if you position yourself as internationally competitive. Without similar financing instruments or alliances, it will be difficult for German companies to gain a foothold in this segment.
On September 7, 2026, the construction contract for the airport branch of the Manila Metro was awarded to a joint venture between DMCI (Philippines) and Taisei (Japan), with a contract value of 270.3 million USD (approximately 248 million euros). The Japan International Cooperation Agency simultaneously concluded an agreement on the provision of a fourth loan tranche for the Metro Manila Subway Project.
The airport branch represents a key expansion of the Metro Manila Subway system – one of the largest transportation infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia – and connects Ninoy Aquino International Airport directly to the metro network. This connection is strategically important for improving connectivity between the airport, the metropolitan center, and regional hubs.
The project is of great significance for German tunnel construction and railway technology exporters such as Herrenknecht, DB Engineering, and BAUER as a reference market for metro extensions in Southeast Asia. The selection of the DMCI/Taisei consortium demonstrates continuing preferences for combined Japanese-Philippine performance models in JICA-financed regional infrastructure projects.
Source: International Railway Journal