The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project will begin full-scale construction in February 2023, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
During a Laging Handa briefing, DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan stated that the NSCR is the Philippines’ largest railway project and the largest project ever funded by the Asian Development Bank.
The project recently awarded four contract packages totaling Php91 billion. One of these contracts is with the South Korean firm Hyundai E&C.
Batan stated that full-scale construction will begin in February 2023, following the completion of “pre-construction activities” before 2022.
The NSCR will be a 142-kilometer railway system linking Calamba, Laguna, and Clark International Airport. A one-way trip will take about an hour and 45 minutes, cutting travel time in half. It will then have a daily passenger capacity of 350,000.
Aside from improving transportation, the project’s construction is expected to generate 10,000 jobs and boost economic activity in the project’s target areas.
Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and social housing finance corporations will compensate informal settlers and homeowners affected by the NSCR.