Lawmakers laud Rody’s Manila-Clark railway project

MANILA, Philippines -  Lawmakers lauded yesterday the marking of the first five stations of the P255-billion Manila-Clark railway project under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Manila 1st District Rep. Manuel “Manny” Lopez and 2nd District Rep. Carlo Lopez witnessed the marking of five of the 17 stations located in Marilao and Meycauayan in Bulacan; and Valenzuela, Caloocan and Tutuban in Divisoria.

They said the railway project would help ease traffic congestion in Manila and other parts of the metropolis.

Once operational, they said the two-hour travel time from Manila to Clark would be reduced to 55 minutes.

The lawmakers said the project would decongest Metro Manila and spur economic growth in Central Luzon.

The 106-kilometer railway runs from Tutuban in Manila to Clark freeport zone in Pampanga.

According to the Department of Transportation, the rail system will also benefit 350,000 passengers daily on its first year of operations.

The 12 other stations are Solis, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Malolos, Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, Clark International Airport and the proposed New Clark City in Pampanga.

The project will start in the last quarter of the year and is expected to be completed by 2021.

It will be funded through Japan’s official development assistance.