At least 10 expected to bid for NSCR – DOTr

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest infrastructure project – the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) – is expected to receive at least 10 offers from local and foreign investors for its P229-billion concession on operations and maintenance.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan yesterday said the bidding for the contract to manage the NSCR would likely garner around 10 offers from Philippine, French and Japanese conglomerates.

“I think overall we have around 10 companies – Japanese, French and Filipino companies – that we expect to participate (in the bidding),” Batan said.

Currently, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is holding one-on-one talks with prospective bidders. Batan said these meetings allow interested bidders to know the project more, giving the DOTr the opportunity to respond to queries.

Drawing from recent negotiations, Batan said most investors inquire about the technical side of the NSCR given its immensity and length.

The NSCR will span 147 kilometers across 35 stations between Clark International Airport and Calamba, Laguna.

“Our winner (for NSCR deal) will operate one of the largest metro rail systems in the region, so there’s really a lot of technical questions,” Batan said.

The DOTr is receiving the strongest interest from Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd., which operates Asia’s first subway, the Tokyo Metro, and East Japan Railway Co., which runs Japan’s famous bullet train Shinkansen.

From France, the NSCR is drawing serious consideration from state-run operator RATP Group, which manages Paris Metro, Europe’s second busiest railway.

Batan said there are also likely contenders from the Philippines, although he declined to identify them. Last year, the DOTr landed initial interest from San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and First Balfour to bid for the concession, both of which are already involved in Philippine railway.

SMC is the government’s private partner in building the Metro Rail Transit Line 7, which is now a decade under construction due to multiple delays. First Balfour, on the other hand, is putting up two segments in the southern line of the NSCR.

Batan said the DOTr would close the submissions by the end of September, eyeing to announce a winning bidder before the end of the year.

The NSCR, costing P873.6 billion and co-financed by Japan, will reduce the travel time between Clark and Calamba to just 2.5 hours, and will also offer the country’s first airport express.