Marcos OKs private sector help to run North-South Commuter Railway
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through the Economic and Development Council (EDC), has approved a public-private partnership (PPP) for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).
The NSCR, an elevated railway spanning Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon, covers a total of 147 kilometers.
The O&M contract is valued at P229.32 billion, according to the Department of Economic Planning and Development (DEPDev).
“The North-South Commuter Railway Project is a major step toward faster, greener, and more connected transportation for Filipinos as the system will also be integrated with the Metro Manila Subway. At the same time, it will promote green and commercial development along its corridors," DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement on Wednesday, July 16.
Construction of the NSCR is already in its late stages, with pre-operations scheduled from March 2026 to 2027.
An estimated 800,000 passengers are expected to benefit from the railway once it becomes operational, with a total of 35 stations.
Operations and maintenance (O&M) depots will be located in Clark, Valenzuela and Calamba.
Once fully operational, the NSCR will feature both commuter and limited express trains. The limited express trains will be faster, reaching speeds of 120 to 130 kilometers per hour.
According to the DEPDev, travel time between Clark and Calamba will be reduced from four hours to just three.
Subway inspection
Earlier in the day, Marcos also inspected the Metro Manila Subway Project. The subway spans from Valenzuela City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.
Once completed, Marcos said the project would trim down the travel time across Metro Manila from two hours to 40 minutes.
Despite the Department of Transportation not being optimistic about an early completion, Marcos is aiming to have the subway operational by 2028, the end of his term.
“Baka matapos natin ito ‘28. Baka puwede nang in-inaugurate sa 2028. Basta tingnan natin,” Marcos said.
(Maybe we can finish this by ‘28. Maybe we can inaugurate it by 2028. Let us see.)
During the inspection, Marcos was accompanied by Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez, Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo and more.
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