Several French companies have expressed initial interest in the operation and maintenance of the Philippines’ North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), as Manila seeks foreign expertise for the project, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday.
The 147-kilometer railway is one of the Southeast Asian country’s flagship infrastructure projects.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said there has been “encouraging” interest from countries and private firms to participate in the NSCR.
“The market is very interested in participating and eventually bidding for the NSCR concession,” Batan said at an event in Paris.
He said, however, the DOTr should adjust to the concerns of potential foreign partners to attract them to the project.
“The participants operate the broadest railway network in the world. They are seriously taking a look at participating in the NSCR,” Batan said.
Eric Gerardo Tamayo, the Philippine chargé d’ affaires in France, said Manila would benefit from French expertise given that France has one of the most developed railway networks in the world.
“You have different options of railway here in France. You have the subway, regional railway and high-speed rail. Their railways are really commuter-friendly,” Tamayo said.
