The government remains committed to the long-awaited Mindanao Railway Project (MRP), despite China’s withdrawal of financial support for the project, according to the Department of Transportation.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the DOTr was coordinating with the Department of Finance in seeking alternative funding sources such as official development assistance (ODA) from other foreign governments and international financial institutions.
“We decided to pursue Phase 1 of the MRP despite withdrawal of prior funding commitment from the government of China. While looking for funding sources, various pre-construction activities show we are not dropping the project,” Bautista said.
Land acquisitions are ongoing along the target alignment from Tagum to Digos via Davao City, the agency said. Resettlement sites for displaced residents were also identified with villages in different stages of construction.
“In fact, the Tagum Train Village is scheduled for turnover to its future residents in the coming months. Livelihood programs are also being prepared for affected families,” Bautista said.
The P81.6-billion Phase 1 of the Mindanao Railway Project has a length of 100.2 kilometers, consisting of eight stations. Once operational, the rail line is expected to serve 122,000 passengers daily and reduce travel time from Tagum City to Digos City to an hour from three hours.
Bautista said the MRP Phase 1 Tagum-Davao-Digos line would concretize the master rail plan of connecting the entire island of Mindanao.
Once the entire Mindanao Railway Project is completed, the 1,544-kilometer rail system will connect key provinces such as Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Cotabato, Zamboanga, Butuan, Surigao and Malaybalay and pump prime Mindanao’s economic boom.