The Duterte administration revived a plan to build a rail project in Mindanao though unsolicited proposals.
President Rodrigo Duterte said in his first State of the Nation Address his government would pursue train systems in Metro Manila and major key-points in the country, including the Mindanao Rail Project.
The government also plans to build Davao Transit System, Cebu Transit System, the North and South Luzon Railways and Panay Railways Project.
“These are the ones that are being studied now and we are open for proposals from private sectors,” Transportation Department spokesperson Cherie Mercado told reporters in a news briefing.
Mercado said these projects would be funded under unsolicited proposal or public private partnership scheme.
“We’re now on stage of hearing and accepting proposals for these rail projects,” Mercado said.
The Transportation Department in 2011 proposed to build a rail project that would span the whole Mindanao with a total length of 2,000 kilometers.
The railway network will be implemented in phases. Phase 1 includes the construction of a 124-km rail line from Iligan City to Cagayan de Oro City.
It will traverse 10 coastal municipalities in Misamis Oriental including Lugait, Manticao, Naawan, Initao, Liberated, Gitagum, Laguindingan, Alubi-jid, El Salvador and Opol.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier said the agency also wanted a railway system connecting Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City and Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
The agency’s planned rail system would use the right of way of North Luzon Expressway and Philippine National Railways.
Tugade said the department would finalize the proposal for submission to the National Economic and Development Authority within 90 days.
The proposed rail system aims to promote Clark International Airport as an alternative international gateway to Naia which is now congested.
Japan International Cooperation Agency said Naia was expected to exceed its maximum handling capacity this year, when the airport would handle 37.78 million passengers. Its maximum handling capacity stands at 35 million passengers a year.
