MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Transportation (DOTr) lauded the contribution of local government units (LGUs) and private sector partners to the speedy completion of the North-South Commuter Railway system (NSCR), saying their respective roles are “indispensable” to the success of the mammoth infrastructure project.
Speaking at the inauguration of the project site office in Santa Rosa, Laguna, Transportation Undersecretary for rail transportation Jeremy Regino said LGUs “are the primary beneficiaries of the NSCR project and are the principal actors in our effort to speed up its completion.”
Regino said the rail system would have a major impact on the economy of the Southern Tagalog region, adding that, once the project is completed, “the region will never be the same again.”
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He cited in particular the support of local government units in the DOTr’s bid to speed up the right-of-way (ROW) acquisition for the project.
“Without the necessary rights-of-way and without LGU support, this project cannot move ahead,” Regino said. He called for the further speeding up of the ROW acquisition, saying that the earlier the ROWs are obtained and handed over to partners, the faster the project will be completed.
‘Hyundai setting fine example’
“This is the time for all of us to move quickly and efficiently, with precision and zeal” Regino said, noting that the “whole of government approach” has been adopted to ensure the speedy completion of the NSCR.
Regino also lauded the participation of Hyundai Engineering and Construction of Korea in the project, saying the firm “is creating history and is setting a fine example.”
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Hyundai is undertaking three sections of the southern portion of the NSCR which will connect Calamba, Laguna to Metro Manila. It formed a joint venture with Dong-Ah Geological Engineering Company for the P74-billion project awarded in September 2022.
The joint venture has a 90-percent stake in the southern portion of the NSCR, covering 32 kilometers out of the total 56-kilometer length of the section. Their scope of work includes the construction of nine elevated stations in Alabang, Muntinlupa, San Pedro, Pacita, Biñan, Sta Rosa, Cabuyao, Banlic, and Calamba.
Regino cited in particular the “regular visits of the top brass of Hyundai to the project sites to update themselves”, saying it underscores their commitment to meeting the high-quality standards set for the project and to its early completion”.
“They have shown to the Philippine government and the Filipino people how important this project is to them, and for that we owe them a debt of gratitude,” Regino said. “We hope all our private sector partners would follow their example,” he added.
He also noted that “it has only been more than a year ago since President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. witnessed the signing of the contract with the Hyundai Group, and already a lot of things have been accomplished”, including the construction of the project site building and clearing of roadways.
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The 147-kilometer NSCR project will run from Calamba in the south to the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac in the north. It includes the construction of some 36 stations and an express train service to the Clark International Airport. Once completed, travel time for commuters using the line is expected to be reduced by 50 percent.
The project is being funded with loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank.