DOTr vows to finish NSCR on time

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is committed to finishing the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) on time despite challenges hampering the construction of the project.

In a report submitted to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Transportation Undersecretary Jeremy Regino said the DOTr is on track to complete the NSCR by 2029.

Regino said the northern segments of the NSCR are progressing as scheduled.

The DOTr has handed over 100 percent of the right of way (ROW) to the contractors of four of the six stations from Tutuban to Malolos. This means that civil works for the sections in Apalit, Angeles, Clark and Clark International Airport in Pampanga are moving as planned.

Likewise, the DOTr has turned over 76 percent of the ROW to the contractors of the Malolos to Clark segment. The agency is working on acquiring the ROW for the remaining portions to get their construction started as well.

If things go as scheduled, the NSCR should begin partial services from Valenzuela to Malolos by the second quarter of 2027 and full operations by the third quarter of 2029.

The DOTr faced several challenges in putting up the NSCR, one of which was in August, when the frequent downpour caused massive flooding in areas covered by the project.

The NSCR will stretch for around 147 kilometers across three regions – Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog – spanning New Clark City to Calamba, Laguna.

The railway serves as one of the most expensive transport investments made by the government, with the project estimated to reach P873.62 billion. The NSCR is funded by loans from Japan.

For 2024, the NSCR will receive P76.34 billion in financing, as the government tries to keep up with the timeline of operating it by 2027. The agency will spend P53.26 billion for the procurement of ROW.

The DOTr will shut all of the passenger services of the Philippine National Railways by January 2024 to make way for the civil works of the NSCR.

The closure is estimated to affect the commute of up to 35,000 passengers daily, but the DOTr is coordinating with fellow agencies in providing them with alternative means.