Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24)—The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday that it sees the revival of the Philippines’ rail industry with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) and South Long Haul (SLH) railway projects.
The NSCR began in April this year while the SLH railway project which is originally a replacement for the Bicol Express line was delayed by China’s failure to approve the Philippines’ loan application. Recently, the transport sector decided to drop China as the funding source due to the long waiting period for the loan and Manila’s growing tensions with Beijing over the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/11/22/3-mega-railway-project-without-china-loan.html
Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said during the 131st PNR anniversary that the projects would will elevate the country’s railway to global standards, generate new job opportunities for Filipinos, boost the economic growth and ease traffic congestion in the capital region.
\”Trabaho. Maunlad na ekonomiya. At maaasahang transportasyong pampubliko. Ito ang pangako ng NSCR at South Long-Haul Project para sa Pilipino,\” Bautista said, adding that \”There is no doubt the NSCR and SLH Project will usher in the renaissance of the rail industry in the country.”
[Translation: Jobs, economic growth, and reliable public transportation. This is the promise of NSCR and SLH for the Filipinos.]
\”Tayo ay gagawa ng isang railroad network na world-class – maipagmamalaki hindi lamang sa Asya, kundi pati na sa buong mundo. Mga bago, moderno, at mabilis na tren na tatakbo mula Clark hanggang Calamba patuloy hanggang Bicol,\” Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said durting the 131st PNR anniversary on Friday
[Translation: We are going to make a world-class railroad network that we can be proud of not just in Asia but in the whole world. It will be a new, modern, and fast train that will run from Clark to Calamba to Bicol.]
In a statement in September, DOTr Undersecretary Cesar Chavez said the government can still continue the PNR South Long-Haul Project by borrowing from other countries or financial institutions, or by building the railway under a public-private partnership.
\”We may go to JICA, we may go to Asian Development Bank, we may go to foreign partners for the electromechanical and the government will still be in charge of the right way of civil works with a private contractor,\” Chavez said.
READ: PH may drop China funding for railroad project by year-end without Beijing’s confirmation
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/9/4/PH-may-drop-China-funding-for-railroad-project-by-year-end-without-Beijing-s-confirmation.html
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/11/24/China-loan-railway-national-budget.html
The DOTr said that the NSCR will be a massive 147-kilometer railway system, with 35 stations, 52 commuter train sets and seven express train sets.
It added that the railway can reduce travel time from 4.5 hours to less than two hours from Calamba, Laguna to Clark, Pampanga. The agency said it can serve 600,000 passengers daily on full operations.
The SLH project is expected to be a 577-kilometer and 33-station rail connection from Metro Manila to Batangas and Bicol. The South rail line is seen to cut travel time from Manila to Legazpi to six hours from the present 14-18 hours.
