“Like any other major Philippine major infrastructure projects, the freight train service will hurdle several right-of-way problems, funding constraints… and a change in presidency.”
It is the flagship project of the highly touted Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). Yet, its fruition may take quite some time.
The $3.3-billion Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) railway project is an undertaking that will underpin the development of the LEC―one of the results of the summit between the US, Japan and the Philippines in April.
The railway project aims to streamline logistics, reduce transportation costs and promote better economic integration. Spanning 250 kilometers, it will link Subic and Batangas ports and pass through Metro Manila.
“It will connect major ports, industrial parks, special economic zones and education and employment centers in the former US bases, the capital city and a port province south of Manila,” says Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual during an investment pitch in Tokyo, Japan.
The cargo and freight service of the proposed railway will surely enhance the connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila and Batangas once the LEC is firmly established. It is intended for cargo trains and should not be confused with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which is currently under construction. The NSCR is designed for passenger transportation and is estimated to cost P873.62 billion once completed in five years.
The proposed freight service between Clark airport and Subic port alone is a boon to the Subic and Clark economic zones. Linking these hubs to the big ports of Batangas and Manila is another game changer. Subic, Clark. Manila and Batangas comprise 80 percent of all port traffic nationwide.
The new growth corridor, meanwhile, will accelerate investments in high-impact infrastructure projects, including the NSCR, ports modernization, clean energy, semiconductor supply chains and agribusiness.
Like any other major Philippine major infrastructure projects, the freight train service will hurdle several right-of-way problems, funding constraints at the outset despite assurance from the US and Japan, interferences from local government units and a change in presidency.
The government plans to start the construction of the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas railway by 2027, a year before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ends his term. “The project design is on track for completion by 2026, with construction set to commence in 2027,” Pascual said.
The government, according to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, will tender the contract to a consultancy firm for a feasibility study on the railway within the year, with the Asian Development Bank funding the $8-million study.
Costly gamble
If one takes a chance, he must be sure that it is foolproof. But in a game of chance where one employs trickery, he faces impossible odds.
Three employees of a gambling operator and one game player found themselves in hot water for trying to cheat.
BingoPlus, operator of one of the country’s biggest mall-based bingo games, filed estafa charges against the four on suspicion of alleged conspiracy to cheat and win P3.96 million in jackpot prize.
The operator discovered that the player had connived with the three Bingo employees so that the numbers on his cards would be called. The staff supposed to guard against such fixing were in on it, too.
The scam was uncovered when BingoPlus conducted an investigation into the matter. The CCTV footage allegedly showed the employees were working together to ensure their accomplice would win the P3-million jackpot.
BingoPlus said it filed the charges in keeping with its commitment “to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and trust within our community.”
The company stressed that it “has zero tolerance for any form of misconduct and will take all necessary legal actions to ensure that these individuals will be punished for their criminal actions.”
“BingoPlus remains dedicated to providing a safe, fair, and enjoyable gaming experience for all,” the company said.
The accused were identified as BingoPlus SM City Cauayan employees Jefferson Castillo, Catherine Vargas and Liwliwa Viloria, who allegedly conspired with BingoPlus player Rafael Ramirez to manipulate the result of the Bingo Milyonaryo game held in the SM City Cauayan branch of BingoPlus. If convicted, they could languish in prison for four to eight years.
The four are now regretting their decision to score a quick profit. They risked imprisonment to steal over half a million pesos each. In this day and age, where CCTV cameras are everywhere, theirs was a stupid risk. It’s a crime that doesn’t need witnesses―just a CCTV camera.
BingoPlus should be commended for its efforts to hold the scammers accountable and maintain transparency.
Its decision to investigate the incident and charge those responsible shows it is serious about prosecuting scammers. The complaint also sends a clear message to anyone tempted to engage in deceitful practices―they will be caught and punished.
BingoPlus’s commitment to transparency is meritorious. It chose to be open about the incident to keep the trust of players and show fairness and integrity in the games.
The abundance of evidence gathered during the investigation highlights the operator’s effective monitoring systems―a deterrent to scammers.
BingoPlus, in sum, is saying it has zero tolerance for cheating in its games.
E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com