Lawmakers from Camarines Sur have renewed their call for the speedy completion of the Philippine National Railways–South Long Haul (PNR-SLH) project, popularly known as the “Bicol Express.”
They urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to move forward with the feasibility study for the long-delayed flagship infrastructure project.
Once completed, the modern railway line is expected to reduce travel time from Metro Manila to Albay or Sorsogon from the current 12 hours to just about four hours. The proposed standard-gauge, high-speed line will span more than 500 kilometers and replace the old Manila-Bicol railway.
In House Resolution 18, Camarines Sur Reps. Migz Villafuerte and Luigi Villafuerte, along with Reps. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, said the project will significantly boost freight and passenger mobility while serving as a key driver of economic integration and development across Southern Luzon and the Bicol Region.
The resolution noted that although Region V has been recognized for its economic potential and rich natural resources, the lack of efficient and reliable transport systems continues to hinder regional growth, limit mobility, and constrain trade and tourism.
The legislators said Bicol’s poverty incidence—recorded at 32.9 percent and subsistence incidence at 12.8 percent in the first half of 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority—underscores the urgency of large-scale infrastructure investments to spur inclusive growth, generate jobs, and improve logistics and market access in the region.
