Government to approve operations, maintenance for two railway projects in 2024

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the government is considering the approval of the planned privatization of the operations and maintenance (O&M) for two major railway projects this year.

During the virtual SNAP Conversations 2024: Economic Outlook event, NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the government wants to hand over the O&M of the Metro Manila Subway (MMSP) and North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) projects prior to their completion.

“We will ensure that even before we finish the construction of these projects, the necessary management systems are primed and ready to go, so that they riding public can enjoy the services as soon as possible,” Balisacan said on Thursday, Feb. 22.

The MMSP, costing P488.5 billion, is a 33.1-kilometer underground metro rail system set to span Metro Manila from Valenzuela City to Parañaque City, including a connection to NAIA Terminal 3.

Meanwhile, the NSCR project, with a budget of P873.62 billion, is a commuter railway covering around 147 kilometers from Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna.

Apart from the two major railway projects, Balisacan said the Marcos administration is focusing on obtaining approvals for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in the health sector. 

These projects include the Haemodialysis Center at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center and the Cancer Center at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital.

He added they are planning to privatize the O&M of the National Capital Region EDSA Busway and the San Ramon Newport Project in the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport.

“We have push hard to approve major projects in 2022 and 2023, we will work toward securing more approvals of additional PPP projects in the health and transportation sectors this year,” the NEDA chief said.