The Philippine National Railways (PNR) is set to kickstart the preservation and restoration of the historic Calumpit train station this year, following the unveiling of a heritage marker by the Provincial History, Arts, Culture, and Tourism Office (PHACTO).
PNR General Manager Deovanni Miranda praised the Provincial Government of Bulacan for installing the heritage marker, highlighting its significance in ensuring that the 134-year-old Calumpit Station remains preserved in its original location, despite the ongoing construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System Project.
Miranda assured the public that PNR would work closely with the Korean contractor for the Malolos-Apalit segment of the NSCR, which passes through Calumpit, to install a steel frame to protect the historic station, which was originally built in 1891.
PHACTO Officer-in-Charge May Arlene Torres noted that this is the fourth heritage marker installed at former PNR train stations. Similar markers were unveiled in Meycauayan and Guiguinto in 2021, in Malolos in January 2025, and now in Calumpit, coinciding with the 453rd Foundation Anniversary of the town.
This initiative is part of the SINEliksik Bulacan Project, under the Shine Bulacan Program of the Provincial Government, in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
The Calumpit Station, built in 1891 by the Manila Railroad Company (MRC), was part of a larger plan to develop a railway system in Luzon, which was approved through a Royal Decree issued by Don Eduardo Lopez Navarro on June 26, 1875. The station was integral to the 195-kilometer Manila-Dagupan line, which was initially awarded as a concession to Don Edmundo Sykes in 1887 and later transferred to the Manila Railroad Company Ltd. of London.
Torres highlighted that the old Calumpit Station played a significant role in the history of the Philippines, particularly during the Philippine-American War. The station witnessed the ‘Battle of Calumpit’ or ‘Battle of Bagbag’ from April 25-27, 1899, when Philippine revolutionary forces under General Antonio Luna clashed with the U.S. Army led by General Arthur MacArthur Jr.
In times of peace, the station served as an important hub for transporting sugarcane from the vast plantations of Central Luzon. However, it began to deteriorate in 1988 when PNR suspended its north-line train operations.
Miranda also expressed support for the Municipal Government of Calumpit’s proposal to convert the old station into a local museum through adaptive reuse, in line with the National Cultural Heritage Act (Republic Act 10066) and the Philippine History Act (Republic Act 10086).
While the old Calumpit station will no longer function as a railway facility, the new Calumpit station for the Malolos-Clark segment of the NSCR has been relocated near the Angat River in Barangay Iba O’ Este. (PIA Region 3-Bulacan)
