Calamba City, Laguna
October 6, 2022
Anchored on the Administration’s ‘Build Better More’ program that aims to develop the country’s mass transport system, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. witnessed the contract signing for the South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP) of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) in a ceremony in Calamba City, Laguna.
Together with officials from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Philippine National Railways (PNR) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), President Marcos Jr. watched as contract packages (CP) S-04, S-05, S-06 and S-07 of the NSCR were signed and awarded to winning contractors commencing the construction of 10 train stations that would traverse key areas in the southern portion of the railway project.
“We welcome this development at a time when we are going — and we have used this phrase often — full speed ahead towards modernization and our transport system and we are reclaiming our lives from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is what all of this truly means,” President Marcos Jr. said as he expressed his gratitude to various government partners that helped in making the project become possible, including the ADB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
According to the President, the signing of these contract packages demonstrated the government’s collective efforts in pursuing infrastructure projects that would pave the way for a more revitalized economy and growth of the nation.
The Chief Executive also reassured his kababayans of his full commitment in ensuring that all resources for this project would be maximized, instructing the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other concerned agencies to ensure the smooth implementation of this momentous undertaking.
“Indeed, those efforts will all redound to the fulfillment of a more united and dynamic nation. I join our people in anticipating the eventual progress and completion of this railway project,” expressed President Marcos Jr. who also led the recent groundbreaking ceremony of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) – Ortigas and Shaw Boulevard Stations.
The South Commuter Railway Project is a 54.6-kilometer railway system comprising the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway that connects the National Capital Region (NCR) to the northern and southern suburban areas in Luzon. The SCRP stretches from Blumentritt in Manila to Calamba City in Laguna and will have 18 stations. Once finished, it is projected to accommodate 340,000 passengers per day, give Filipino commuters an efficient public transport and lessen traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
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