ACCIONA, a Spanish global leader in providing sustainable solutions for infrastructure and renewable energy projects, and EEI, its local partner, will build one of the sections of the new railway line in the Philippines that will link the city of Malolos with Clark International Airport, 80 kilometers north of Manila, the capital. The ADB-financed contract, valued at around P19 billion, is estimated to be completed in three years.
The contract involves the construction of a 6.5-kilometer main railway line, which includes an elevated section, an underground section with cut and cover that will provide access to the Clark International Airport station, substation, and auxiliary facilities. The rail line will become a key transport infrastructure in the metropolitan region of Manila and is one of the priority projects identified by the Department of Transportation.
"The project will cut the travel time between Clark and Manila from two to three hours by bus to one hour by train while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60,000 tons annually,” Ruben Camba, ACCIONA Country Manager, said.
"The project is expected to create about 24,000 local construction jobs in the next three years and 14,000 more jobs related to the railway system’s operation. It will lead to larger, indirect employment, and economic benefits to local businesses, such as suppliers of raw materials, which in turn will create more jobs,” Mr. Camba added.
ACCIONA has considerable experience in executing this type of rail infrastructure. The group is currently constructing the Follo Line in Oslo, Norway for the Norwegian Railway Authority, which will become the longest railway tunnels in Scandinavia upon completion. ACCIONA is also responsible for the Legacy Way tunnels in Brisbane, Australia, a project that has since received numerous awards for both its technical execution and environmental protection measures.
Another noteworthy project is the company’s design and execution of the Dubai Metro Red Line expansion for Expo 2020. In Latin America, the firm developed line 3 of the Santiago de Chile Metro and line 1 of the Quito Metro in Ecuador while in Spain, ACCIONA has built several metro lines in both Madrid and Barcelona.
ACCIONA, which opened its commercial office in Manila in April of last year, has been operating in the country since 2016 after being awarded the contract for the design, construction, operation, and one-year maintenance of the Putatan II water treatment plant. The plant required an investment of US$127 million and will cater to nearly 1.5 million people.
Currently, ACCIONA is developing the 650-meter-long Cebu-Cordova cable-stayed bridge in the Philippines, which will link Cebu City and Mactan International Airport. The project has reached the 50% completion mark.
ACCIONA is a global group that develops and manages sustainable infrastructure solutions, particularly in renewable energy projects. Its range of services covers the entire value chain of design, construction, operation, and maintenance. ACCIONA's aim is to lead the transition to a low-carbon economy and does this by applying technical excellence and innovation to design a better planet. The company earned revenues of €7.19 billion in 2019, has a presence in more than 40 countries, and carries out its activities within a commitment to the economic and social development of the communities in which it operates.