Philippine National Railways chairman Michael Ted Macapagal said he plans to establish a one-stop-shop terminal for train commuters, similar to the One Ayala Transport Terminal for bus passengers in Makati City.
Macapagal said he was impressed by the One Ayala Terminal, saying it is a good model for the government to follow in its efforts to minimize traffic gridlocks.
One Ayala Transport Terminal is where Metro Rail Transit Line-3 and overland passenger transportation such as city buses, utility vehicle express vans and jeepneys converge. It is a major stop for point-to-point buses, which are given a lane of their own to minimize road congestion and cut travel time.
One Ayala, situated at the corners of EDSA and Ayala Ave., is a walking distance from SM Makati, Glorietta 4 and 5 and Ayala Malls. It has food stalls, shops offering all kinds of goods and services and ATMs. Across the road lie high-end condominiums that cater to expatriates.
Macapagal said he plans to transform North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) stations into commerce centers, incorporating condominiums, malls and various shops in the immediate vicinity.
The NSCR, also known as the Clark–Calamba Railway, is a 147-kilometer rail transit system under construction, which will run upon completion from Angeles City in Pampanga to Calamba City in Laguna, covering 147 kilometers and 36 train stations.
“Our immediate goal is to provide the same level of comfort, security, and seamless travel experience to the public,” said Macapagal.
He said NSCR could take a page from the One Ayala playbook.
Macapagal said the purpose is to make every station a transportation hub, where commuters get off from public utility vehicles and motorists leave their cars on a parking lot so that they can take the NSCR train to their destination in either direction, north or south.
“If you visit China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, you will realize that the transport interconnectivity being provided by the railway system is key to economic development in those countries,” he said.
The same is true in the US, Canada, Great Britain and countries in the European Union such as France, Germany and Italy, “but on a smaller scale since these countries are primarily dependent on cars and trucks to transport people and goods,” he said.