DOTr signs phase 3 contracts for North-South Commuter Railway

• The Department of Transportation signed contracts for Phase 3 of the North-South Commuter Railway-South Commuter Railway Project on April 27

• Contract Package S-02 covers the 7.9-km railway viaduct that includes elevated stations on España and Sta. Mesa Blvds. and in Paco, Manila

• CP S-03b encompasses civil engineering, tunnel and building works for a 6.1-km railway with 4.7 km underground tracks and 1.4 km at-grade tracks, as well as the construction of a station with stops at the Food Terminal Inc.

• The contract packages constitute the 14-km third phase of the 55.6-km SCRP line that will connect Blumentritt Station in Manila to Calamba, Laguna, stringing a total of 18 stations

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed phase 3 contracts for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR)-South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP) on April 27, signalling that work on the whole project is now in full swing.

Contract Package (CP) S-02 covers the 7.9-kilometer railway viaduct that includes elevated stations on España and Sta. Mesa Boulevards and Paco in Manila. It was won by a joint venture of Spanish multinational company Acciona Construction Philippines Inc. and local builder D.M. Consunji Inc.

CP S-03b encompasses civil engineering, tunneling and building works for a 6.1-km railway with 4.7-km underground and 1.4-km at-grade tracks, as well as the construction of a station with shops at the Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City and tunneling work to connect the project to the Metro Manila Subway Project-Senate Station. Hong Kong-based Leighton Contractors (Asia) Ltd. in partnership with local engineering company First Balfour Inc. clinched the project.

CP S-02 and CP S-03b constitute the 14-km third phase of the 55.6-km SCRP that will connect Manila to Laguna, starting in Blumentritt Road Station in Sta. Cruz and passing through 17 other stations until the south-end in Calamba.

“In a larger context, this is also an exciting prospect because it means that all phases of the NSCR system are now officially in full swing,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a speech at the contract-signing.

“As the civil works for these contract packages commence, we expect not only the generation of more than 2,000 jobs but also the creation of other opportunities and livelihood during its construction,” the President said during the event.

“Most importantly, the completion of the full NSCR line will bring greater convenience for our commuters. It will offer an efficient and comfortable transport alternative that spans the great distance, connecting Pampanga to Manila and then to Laguna,” he pointed out.

In its entirety, the NSCR Project stretches more than 147 km with a total of 35 stations, 51 commuter train sets, and seven express train sets operating along the rail line.

NSCR is funded by an official development assistance loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Asian Development Bank.

The rail line is expected to bring about ease of mobility and connectivity within the National Capital Region, CALABARZON and Central Luzon, and generate direct and indirect employment for a total of 110,000 people during its construction phase.

Once operational, NSCR is expected to service as many as 800,000 passengers daily and cut travel time from Clark Airport in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna to less than two hours.

Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista earlier said NSCR will begin partial operations in the third quarter of 2026 and will be fully operating in 2029.

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