The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that it is broadening the market for the operations and maintenance (O\&M) concession of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), inviting interest from global and local private sector partners.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said several countries with established rail networks have already expressed intent to participate, emphasizing that the Philippines is open for business in its railway sector.
“We hope that those who are considering coming for the first time in the Philippines receive the message that we are open for business to anyone, from anywhere in the world,” Batan said during the third leg of the NSCR Market Sounding event held at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Manila on September 4, which drew participation from 22 foreign and local companies.
Batan highlighted the transformational impact of mass rail systems in addressing urban traffic congestion, stressing that the NSCR aims to give back time to millions of Filipino commuters.
The NSCR will shorten travel from Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna, reducing the current four-hour land travel to less than three hours.
Once fully operational, the 35-station system is expected to serve 750,000 passengers daily and generate 350,000 jobs during construction and operations.
