South Railway Commuter project taking shape

Construction commences. Officials from the Department of Transportation, ACCIONA, D.M. Consunji Inc., and GCR mark a key milestone in the North-South Commuter Railway Contract Package S-02 with the start of permanent works along the 8-kilometer Blumentritt to Sta. Ana alignment.

MANILA, Philippines – Construction and engineering firms D.M. Consunji Inc. and Acciona of Spain have started constructing three stations of the South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP) in Manila as the country moves to build more regional train systems for better connectivity.

In a statement on Monday, Acciona Southeast Asia managing director Ruben Camba said they were working closely with the local government to minimize disruptions in the densely populated city.

“We are proud to mark the beginning of the SCRP Package 2, a transformative development that will improve the lives of millions of Filipinos by providing faster, safer and more accessible transportation,” Camba said.

The P28-billion contract package was signed in 2023. It involves the construction of 7.9 kilometers (km) of railway tracks and three stations along España, Sta. Mesa and Paco.

Previously, it was reported that construction might take four and a half years.

This project is one segment of the 55-km 18-station Blumentritt to Calamba SCRP. The entire length is, in turn, part of the 147-km North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) that will run from Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna.

The inter-regional railway is seen to cut the travel time between the two end points by 50 percent. It is expected to serve more than a million passengers daily.

“This project is more than just building a railway—it’s about connecting communities, creating jobs and supporting inclusive growth across Luzon,” Camba said.

Last week, Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon said they were also ramping up the construction of NSCR’s Malolos to Clark segment so it could be operational by 2028.

The consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and its Korean partners Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. and Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd. are tasked with building this portion. This includes elevated train stations in Calumpit, Bulacan and Apalit, Pampanga.

The Transportation department earlier said that more railway systems must be established in the countryside to support both passenger and cargo movements. It was noted that only 14 out of 81 provinces, or 17.3 percent, have operational or investment-approved inter-regional railways.