Ambassador-designate joins discussions as pioneering transit-orientated development project advances in Manila

• UK Ambassador-designate to the Philippines, Sarah Hulton OBE, joined discussions on transit-oriented development (TOD) plans at a key site in Metro Manila.
• The session focussed on the latest masterplan proposals for the pioneering Senate-DepEd (SEED) station project – a walkable, inclusive and climate-resilient exemplar of TOD.
• Led by Crossrail International under GCIEP, the SEED masterplan was presented to key stakeholders and will now progress into a second phase of delivery.

The recent mission in Manila included a series of workshops and meetings with key stakeholders.

The UK Ambassador-designate to the Philippines, Sarah Hulton OBE, joined the Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy Programme (GCIEP) team in Manila in September to discuss progress on the Senate-DepEd (SEED) project – a pioneering example of transit-oriented development (TOD).

A session at the British Embassy brought together key stakeholders to discuss the SEED masterplan, which is at the conceptual stage (Level of Development 200) with designs suitable for planning and investment discussions. It marked the culmination of a week of workshops and meetings with the Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Education (DepEd), Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) – alongside the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and PwC Philippines.

The key focus of the visit was the presentation of the masterplan for the SEED site. The site, owned by DepEd and located at the interchange of the North-South Commuter Railway and Metro Manila Subway Project, is envisaged as a walkable, inclusive and climate-resilient exemplar of TOD. Income generated from the development will help fund classrooms, equipment and teacher training across the Philippines.

As the Philippines’ first government-led TOD project, technical expertise is provided by Crossrail International, through GCIEP. Crossrail International has led a team of sub-consultants from the UK and the Philippines, bringing together UK experience in TOD, together with a wealth of local knowledge. The project has required expertise including masterplanning, real estate, urban planning, transport planning, cost planning, engineering, archaeology, heritage and social and environmental safeguards.

The team began work on the project in November 2024 and have completed several previous missions. On 16 July, another key milestone was passed with the signing of a  memorandum of understanding by the British Embassy Manila, DOTr and DepEd.

The recent mission, held in Manila from 15–18 September 2025, included a series of workshops and meetings with key stakeholders. The programme featured:

• The presentation of the SEED project masterplan;
• A full-day TOD capacity building workshop with DOTr, DepEd, PPP Center and Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev);  
• Strategic meetings with ADB, PwC Philippines and BCDA to prepare for the next phase of work.

The mission concluded with strong endorsement of the masterplan principles and clear guidance to move forward into phase 2. Building on the solid foundations laid in phase 1, GCIEP will now extend the technical, financial and economic analysis needed to advance an investment-ready project, working with the ADB, PwC and relevant government bodies.

The UK’s Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy Programme is tackling climate change and extreme poverty by accelerating the delivery of sustainable green cities and climate-resilient infrastructure.