A couple of contract packages of the South Commuter Railway, worth over P52.2 billion, was signed Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Malacanang, Department of Transportation ( DOTr) Secretary Jaime J. Bautista announced.

The South Commuter Railway is part of the ₱873.62-billion North-South Commuter Railway system, the country's longest rail line,

Construction of the two segments of the South Commuter Railway is expected to start in the last quarter of 2023.

The first package CP S-02 consists of a 7.9-kilometer elevated railway from Blumentritt to San Andres Bukid in Manila, with three stations - Espana, Sta. Mesa and Paco.

This segment of the South Commuter Railway will continue towards Calamba.

The second package – CP S-03b is for constructing 6.1 kilometers of railway that will run alongside a portion of the South Luzon Expressway.

It includes 4.7 kilometers of underground railway and 1.4 kilometers of ground level railway with station at the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI).

The contract calls for digging a tunnel that will connect to the Metro Manila Subway.

The first contract was awarded to the joint venture between Acciona Construction Philippines Inc. and D.M. Consunji Inc.

The second contract was awarded to another joint venture - between Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited and First Balfour Inc.

Both contracts are being funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The mother project is the 147-kilometer-long North-South Commuter Railway.

It will reduce travel time from Clark Airport to Calamba in Laguna to less than 2 hours. It will have a total of 35 stations and can accommodate as many as 800,000 passengers a day.

During its construction, approximately 110,000 direct and indirect jobs will be generated.
Target completion is year 2029.

"We have often underscored the significant economic and social benefits this new railway will bring to residents in Central Luzon and the CALABARZON area," according to the DOTR Secretary.

"Once completed, the NSCR will offer safe, affordable, convenient and accessible transport to Filipinos while accelerating our country's economic rebound," he concluded.