The Mindanao Railway Project’s (MRP) Tagum-Davao-Digos (TDD) segment and two other rail projects of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) were among the projects recently approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board’s Investment Coordination Committee (ICC).
The projects got the nod during the ICC’s joint meeting with the ICC-Technical Board and Cabinet Committee on June 1. In approving the projects, ICC advised DOTr to coordinate with the NEDA Secretariat to complete the ICC approval requisites. The projects will all be elevated to the NEDA Board, chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, for confirmation of the ICC approval.
The MRP-TDD aims to provide a more efficient, reliable, and affordable transportation system to boost tourism, industry, and overall economic development in the area by connecting existing and emerging growth centers in the Davao Region.
The Tagum-Davao-Digos segment will form the first phase of the proposed 830-kilometer MRP loop, involving a 102.28-kilometer commuter railway that will run from Tagum City, Davao del Norte, to Digos City, Davao del Sur, with seven stations, one terminal in Davao City, and one depot in Tagum City.
The estimated project cost of P35.26 billion will be locally financed.
If confirmed by the NEDA Board, project construction is targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2018 and completion is by the third quarter of 2022.
The ICC also approved the North-South Railway Project (NSRP)-South Line, which will revive the Philippine National Railways (PNR) south railway.
The project has an estimated cost of P285 billion, to be financed through official development assistance (ODA).
The NSRP-South Line will consist of three tracks that will run from Tutuban in Manila to Los Baños in Laguna for the commuter line (72 km), and Los Baños to Sorsogon for the long haul (581 km), terminating at the Port of Manila—via FTI in Taguig—through the connecting third track.
The Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP), which will connect to the ongoing Tutuban-Malolos portion of the North South Commuter Railway, was likewise given a thumbs-up.
The MCRP will run from Malolos, Bulacan, to Clark International Airport (Phase I), and from Clark International Airport to Clark Green City (Phase II).
The P211.43-billion project will be constructed through ODA, while operations and maintenance will be under public-private partnership.
The construction of Phase I will begin in the second quarter of 2019 and is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2022. Phase II will be undertaken from 2022 to 2024.
The ICC also approved the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project that will mitigate flooding for 45,000 homes. The area is prone to flooding due to overflowing water from the San Juan River, Ylang-Ylang River, and Rio Grande River, and the poor drainage of Maalimango Creek.
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