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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Bullet train muna': Padilla pushes for Bicol transport upgrade before rocket launch

'Bullet train muna': Padilla pushes for Bicol transport upgrade before rocket launch

Published Jul 28, 2026 06:15 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator Robin Padilla called for the improvement of transportation to the Bicol Region, saying residents still endure around 12 hours of land travel to provinces like his home province of Camarines Norte.
  • While supporting the administration's space program, Padilla said the government should first pursue projects such as a bullet train before focusing on rocket launches and space exploration.
  • Padilla lamented the lack of rail service to Bicol, noting that trains once served the region and calling for the revival of rail projects to better connect far-flung provinces.
Senator Robin Padilla on Tuesday, July 28, pushed for the prioritization of improving transportation in the Bicol Region, saying residents still endure long travel times even as the government pursues plans to develop the country's space program.
Senator Robinhood Padilla (SPPA Pool)
Senator Robinhood Padilla (SPPA Pool)
During his manifestation in the Senate plenary, Padilla welcomed Marcos' announcement in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the Philippines is preparing to launch its first sounding rocket next year and develop the country's first spaceport in Cagayan.
Padilla said he supports the government's space ambitions, recalling how he admired the moon landing as a child and describing space exploration as a dream shared by many nations.
"Ang kahilingan ko lang po, bago po tayo makarating diyan, eh maayos muna po yung transportasyon namin sa Bicol (Before we get there, I hope we can first fix transportation to Bicol)," Padilla said.
He highlighted the need to first address the transportation needs of Filipinos in far-flung provinces.
The senator, who hails from Camarines Norte, noted that travel to his home province still takes around 12 hours by land. He also lamented the absence of rail service to the Bicol Region, recalling that trains used to operate there when he was younger.
"Sana po, mabigyan natin ng atensyon na bago tayo mapunta sa rocket, magkaroon din tayo ng bullet train (I hope we can give this attention—that before we get to rockets, we can also have a bullet train)," he said.
Padilla said previous plans to revive rail service had failed to materialize and urged the government to revisit them. He then pointed to Indonesia, which already operates a high-speed railway.
Padilla said developing faster rail transport is an attainable goal that would greatly benefit Filipinos living in distant provinces.
In his SONA on Monday, Marcos announced that Cagayan is being positioned as the country's gateway to space and will host the Philippines' first spaceport. He also said a sounding rocket launch test is scheduled for next year in partnership with a South Korean aerospace company.

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Robin Padilla President Marcos State of the Nation Address (SONA) rocket launch
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