The ₱344.6 billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba Project, drew 34 bids from six Philippine companies and seventeen international firms, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) today (July 22) announced.
The bidders are vying for contract packages to build 40.5 kilometers of viaduct structure, including thirteen elevated stations and a 22-hectare train depot.
The government held the Bid Submission and Opening for Contract Packages S-01 and S-02, and Contract Packages S-04, S-05, S-06, and S-07 last week.
Foreign bidders included the China Construction First Group Corporation Ltd. From China) as well as Chun Wo Construction and Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited, both from Hong Kong.
A total of seven bidders came from South Korea: DL Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. • Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd.; GS Engineering & Construction Corp.; Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd.; Lotte Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd.; POSCO Engineering & Construction as well as Samsung Construction & Trading Corporation.
In addition, there were three bidders from Indonesia - PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Tbk; PT PP (Persero) Tbk and PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk.
Another bidder was from Turkey, Gülermak Ağır Sanayi İnşaat ve Taahhüt A.S.; one from Spain, Acciona, S.A.; one from Thailand, Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd. and one from Japan, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd.
Furthermore, six local construction companies joined the fray: D.M. Consunji Inc., EEI Corporation, First Balfour, Inc., Megawide Construction Corporation,Prime Metro BMD Corporation and Santa Clara International Corporation.
The "impressive turnout of bidders" for the PNR Calamba Project’s contract packages is proof of the infrastructure sector’s trust in the government’s infrastructure program, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade pointed out.
“This record-breaking turnout of bidders is yet again an indication of the trust and confidence of both the local and international infrastructure sector," he reiterated.
Another handful of contract packages for the PNR Calamba Project are set for bidding later this year.
The opening of bids for the project’s civil works packages S-03A, S-03B, and S-03C (construction of at-grade and viaduct structures with five stations, underground tunnel works and the construction of a station to be integrated with the Metro Manila Subway Project) are expected by third quarter, 2021.
Meanwhile, the opening of bids for contract packages involving the project’s electromechanical systems and airport express train cars are also expected in 3Q 2021.
The PNR Calamba Project is part of the 147-kilometer over P600Billion North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which has 35 stations stretching from Calamba in Laguna to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
The NSCR will cut travel time from the Clark International Airport to Calamba from more than 4 hours down to just 1.5 hours.
Travelers from Makati will also be able to reach the Clark International Airport in less than one hour aboard the Airport Express train service.
The NSCR System can initially accommodate up to 1 million daily passengers.
Construction of the NSCR is supported by the Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
It is the single largest project being financed by the ADB in its history, and is the longest commuter railway being financed by JICA.
At present, construction is at full-swing for the northern segment of the NSCR System, which involves 90 kilometers of rail line and 16 stations.