The first phase of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark segment stretching from Tutuban in Manila to Malolos, Bulacan is almost 50 percent finished, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said.
In his Facebook post on Monday, May 17, Tugade bared that the Tutuban to Malolos segment of the Manila-Clark Railway Project now has a 45.82 percent overall progress rate.
"Patuloy nating binibigyan ng prayoridad ang pagsasakatuparan ng proyektong ito na lubhang makatutulong sa mahigit 300,000 nating mga kababayan bawat araw (We will continue to prioritize the implementation of this project, which will help more than 300,000 Filipinos every day)," Tugade said.
1990s pa ‘ho noong unang na-conceptualize ang North-South Commuter Railway Project o NSCR. Nakalulungkot lamang na dahil...
Posted by Arthur P. Tugade on Sunday, May 16, 2021
According to Tugade, the project is expected to reduce travel time between Bulacan and Pampanga from the current 90 minutes to just 30 to 35 minutes.
"Ang oras na matitipid ng mga pasahero sa kanilang biyahe ay maaari nilang magamit bilang karagdagang oras kasama ang kanilang pamilya at mahal sa buhay, o sa kani-kanilang trabaho (The extra time saved by passengers could be used to bond with their families and loved ones, or with their work)," the DOTr chief added.
The 38-kilometer PNR Clark Phase 1 is the first of three parts of the North-South Commuter Railway Project of the DOTr under the administration's "Build, Build, Build" program. It aims to make Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon connected by train.
Aside from easing traffic on roads and shortening travel time for commuters, Tugade said the railway project also intends to provide jobs to Filipinos who have been affected by the ongoing pandemic.