The Department of Transportation said Thursday the construction of the Philippine National Railways Clark Phase 1 Project is on track for completion by the second quarter of 2024.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the PNR Clark Phase 1 Project, a 38-kilometer railway connecting Tutuban Station in Manila and Malolos in Bulacan, had a progress rate of 45.82 percent.
“This is very historic because there were four attempts to build this project since 1993, and it is only now that construction progressed,” Tugade said.
He said the previous administrations attempted to start the project but failed to deliver on its construction.
“There were talks about ground-breaking, but there was no construction. Now, construction is ongoing and the trains are coming,” he said.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the North-South Commuter Railway Project (Malolos-Tutuban), also known as the PNR North 1 Project, was signed in November 2015.
PNR North 1 has 10 stations, which will cut across the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela and the municipalities and cities of Meycuayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto and Malolos in Bulacan. Once completed, the project is expected to serve 300,000 passengers daily and will reduce travel time from Malolos to Manila from an hour and 30 minutes to 35 minutes.
At least 7,500 workers were employed during the construction of the project, while 2,000 additional jobs would be made available once the project becomes operational, according to Tugade.
He said at least 200 former overseas Filipino workers were employed in the project, while more jobs would be opened to prioritize more OFWs and displaced public utility vehicle drivers and conductors.