Great things are finally moving in the Philippines’ railroad modernization program, with the signing last Thursday, July 13, of three contract packages covering the South Commuter Railroad Project (SCRP). The ceremony was held in Malacañang between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the contractors, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessing.
Finalizing the three contract packages worth ₱52 billion shows the government's commitment to realizing the dream of a more efficient and inclusive public transportation system that every Filipino deserves, President Marcos said.
The SCRP is the southernmost portion of the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 147.26-kilometer railway project from New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac to Calamba City in Laguna. It features 35 stations and three depots and will utilize 51 commuter train sets and seven express train sets. It will facilitate a two-hour travel time from Clark to Calamba.
In the north, the NSCR’s component is the Malolos-Clark Railway Project, which is a 53-kilometer rail line being constructed to connect Malolos to Clark economic zone. When completed — probably in 2029 — the NSCR System will reduce travel time between Clark and Calamba to two hours and serve over 800,000 passengers daily.
For several decades now, the rail component of the nation’s infrastructure has been dominated by the light rail system in Metro Manila, servicing only the main urban areas. The railroad network that used to extend from La Union in northern Luzon to the Bicol region in the south, with Manila’s Tutuban Station as the hub, had been all but forgotten. In fact, in the railroad rankings in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is way below that of Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Railroad systems and fast trains are indispensable in a country’s march toward economic growth because the people and their belongings including cargoes need to move in rhythm with the pace of today’s fast economic activities. While development of our rail system had been hampered in the past by political considerations and management errors, the Marcos administration seems dead set in seriously pushing for progress this time.
With the financial support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the governments of Indonesia and Australia, the government expressed confidence that the country is on the right track as it “inches closer to completing the flagship rail infrastructure.”
The two joint venture companies – PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Tbk and PT PP (Persero) Tbk of Indonesia and Leighton Contractors (Asia) Ltd. and First Balfour Inc. of Australia, must be able to construct a combined length of 14.9 kilometers of elevated and ground-level rail tracks, including modern train stations in Blumentritt in Manila, Buendia in Makati, EDSA, Senate in Pasay City, Bicutan in Taguig, and Sucat in Parañaque.
Under the ₱52 billion-worth civil work contract packages, Blumentritt station will have an elevated pedestrian connection with LRT-1, while the EDSA station will also have an elevated pedestrian connection to MRT-3 Magallanes station. The Senate station will be near the Senate subway station, while the Bicutan station will share the same platform with the Bicutan subway station.
The President is more than happy to note that when the civil works begin, some 3,000 Filipino engineers, technicians, accountants, clerical staff, construction and security workers will be employed. He also urged all involved agencies and organizations to work together to address challenges the project may face during implementation and deliver it on time for the benefit of Filipino commuters. He mentioned the project right-of-way, the need for land acquisition and relocation of utility poles. The President also expressed concern on the government’s need to relocate some informal settlers who will be affected by the new railway line.
It is a great relief for many residents of Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, that they now see the signs of a nascent modern transport system for the Philippines with the simultaneous construction of commuter railroad facilities, light rail, subways, toll roads and highways.