Plans to revive Panay Railway transport set

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Panay Railway Incorporated (PRI) has been preparing to enter into a private-public partnership (PPP) with a Korean group who will fund the revival of the 117-kilometer span of the Panay Railway System, from Iloilo City to Roxas City.

This was confirmed by PRI-Iloilo director Cesar Capellan after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved the P16 billion budget for the railway rehabilitation project.

Capellan said the firm is now waiting for the investor to submit its project plan to the NEDA so that the project will start after this year’s May 13 elections.

Under the proposed plan, the railway will be alleviated from Iloilo City particularly along Loboc area going to Iloilo Airport in the towns of Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan of Iloilo, he said, adding that, from Sta. Barbara, the old railway will be rehabilitated going to Lawaan in Roxas City.

Once materialized, the travel time from Iloilo to Roxas City, using the light-rail transit (LRT), will take only from an hour to 30 minutes, unlike the present travel time of four hours.

Capellan said there will be five LRTs and 17 stop stations that will cater to regular, express and night cargo passengers for neighboring towns of Iloilo City and Roxas City. He added transport fare will be P 1.50 per kilometer which is very affordable to everybody.

In related development, around 3, 000 occupants along railway will be relocated once the rehabilitation will start. Majority of them however were illegal settlers while others were lessees, paying under their contracts since 1906.

Capellan said the PRI is now reviewing the lease of contract with their lessees and since, the PRI is under the Phividec Railways Inc. which is owned by the national government, they are also willing to provide relocation site to the affected families.

To recall, some 130 affected households in Brgy. Railway in La Paz district expressed objection last year over the proposed rehabilitation which could trigger mass eviction.

This was only stopped after Brgy. Railway Chairman Nestor Canong sought help from city officials to air their sentiments to then DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas, who earlier expressed opposition to the revival of the train operations in Panay Island because it was not the priority concern of the present administration.  (FREEMAN)