The Department of Transportation said the government asked China to resume negotiations for the multibillion-peso loan to fund the first 380 kilometers of the Philippine National Railway Bicol Project from Banlic, Calamba to Daraga, Albay.
“Actually, the Department of Finance submitted a letter to China last December, telling them that we are ready to reopen the discussion for the loan to finance the Bicol railway project,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
“The first letter of the DOF is only for the Bicol project,” he said.
The DoTr in January 2022 signed a P142-billion contract with Chinese companies to build the first 380 km. of the Philippine National Railway Bicol Project.
The agency through former Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the design-build contract with the joint venture of China Railway Group Ltd., China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group Co. Ltd. and China Railway Engineering Consulting Group Co. Ltd. covering the design, construction and electromechanical works of the project.
The first 380 kilometers of PNR Bicol will span 39 cities and municipalities, four provinces and two regions. It will involve the construction of 23 stations, 230 bridges, 10 passenger tunnels and a 70-hectare depot in San Pablo, Laguna.
The DOTr was also looking at resuming negotiations for the Mindanao Railway Project and the Subic-Clark Railway Project initiated by the Duterte administration
The P83-billion Mindanao Railway Project: Tagum-Davao-Digos segment is expected to reduce travel time from Tagum City, Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours once it starts operations.
The P51-billion Subic-Clark Railway Project is expected to provide high-capacity freight service to support the industrial areas along the Subic-Clark corridor by serving as the link to the airport at Clark Freeport Zone and the seaport at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
