DMCI may bid for new railway

MANILA, Philippines — Consunji-led DMCI Holdings Inc. may partner with a Japanese investor to take part in the development of the first phase of the North South Commuter Rail (NSCR) project under the government’s Build Build Build program.

DMCI chairman and president Isidro Consunji said the company is targeting to be the local civil works contractor of the project, which will be funded by the Japanese government through official development assistance (ODA).

Consunji is set to fly to Japan this week to meet with a potential Japanese investor for the project.

He said the company is keen on bidding for the first phase of the NSCR, a 38-kilometer line connecting Malolos to Tutuban in Manila. The project is expected to cut travel time to around 35 minutes.

Consunji described the project as a game-changer as it would decongest road traffic and provide a better transport system to Filipinos.

“I hope it happens. I don’t see any reason for it not to happen,” Consunji said.

Consunji expressed optimism that Japanese ODA-funded infrastructure projects would push through given that there will also be no right-of-way issue involved.

“I think the Japanese part of the Build Build Build will happen. The Chinese part we don’t know,“ he said.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier opened the bidding for the civil works and building components of the NSCR, which is divided into two contracts, the first of which covers elevated structures, seven stations and a depot while the second includes elevated structures and three stations.

The transportation department said eligible bidders must have a Japanese prime contractor, with no nationality restrictions on sub-contractors.

Bidding is set to close on Aug. 16 for both contracts.

Portions of the 241.991-billion yen Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan agreement with the Department of Finance (DOF) signed in 2015 will be directed to the NSCR project.

Consunji said the local partner would fund around 15 percent of the project, while 85 percent would be covered by the ODA.

The P255-billion Tutuban to Malolos railway will also be connected to the PNR Line 2 project, which will run from Malolos, Bulacan to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

In addition, the South Commuter line will extend from Tutaban to Los Baños, Laguna.