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$6-billion Malolos-Calamba Railway Project to start late-2016

Transportation Spokesperson Michael Arthur C. Sagcal said via text message that the department submitted the project proposal to NEDA for review in November last year and the department is still awaiting approval.

“Once it is approved, we can begin the issuance of terms and bidding process within a month,” Mr. Sagcal explained.

“If we obtain approval within this quarter, our timeline is for construction to begin in the third quarter of 2016 and to complete it by first quarter of 2020.”

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya last month told reporters at the sidelines of an event in Makati City that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has finished its feasibility study for the railway project, which involves 89.7 kilometers (km) of tracks that will connect to the Philippine National Railways, a state-owned system. It will have two phases, namely: the Malolos-Tutuban line which will be funded by JICA, and rehabilitation of Tutuban-Calamba line under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme. The second phase will have an interchange station at its Tutuban station and will run southwards to Calamba.

A NEDA officer, who requested anonymity, said in a phone interview that the Malolos-Tutuban first phase of the railway project is already up for approval by the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee, while the second phase -- which is from Tutuban to Calamba City -- is still under a feasibility study.

Another transportation project requiring huge investment is the $3-billion Mass Transit System Loop project aimed to address the traffic congestion in the cities of Makati, Pasay and Taguig. The proposed 20-kilometer loop will consist of a 16-km underground and 4-km elevated railway with 11 stations.

Seven PPP projects have been awarded since the infrastructure program was launched in late 2010: the P2.01-billion Daanghari-South Luzon Expressway Link Road, P15.52-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway, P16.42-billion first phase of the PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP), PSIP’s P8.80-billion second phase, P5.69-billion Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, P1.72-billion Automatic Fare Collection System, and the P17.52-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building.

Source-On Request