Is Philippines’ ‘’Golden Age of Rail’’ happening?

Rodney Artida

It is evident that train brings progress in a place where it is built. Each railway points us towards fast paced development and unprecedented change in our lifestyle. Historically, rail transport has been a key to social and economic progress of nations. Many economically advanced nations rely to rail for economic development and activities. The transport of thousands of goods from one point to another has been made efficiently through rails.

Last Saturday, the construction of the First Phase of North South Commuter Railway commenced. Officials from Japanese International Cooperation Agency and our transportation department were present in the groundbreaking. The news seems to be a fresh air not only for us living in NCR but also our fellow Filipinos in Central Luzon as we are tired of the perennial traffic we are experiencing for the past decade.

The 38-kilometer North South Commuter Railway Phase 1 project will stretch from Malolos, Bulacan to Tutuban Station of Philippine National Railways in Manila. The railway project aims to decongest traffic in Metro Manila and cut the travel time from Bulacan to Manila by 35 minutes.

The train system will have 10 stations and train set that can accommodate 2,300 passengers in one trip. The An estimated number of 340,000 passengers will be serve by the phase 1 of the North South Commuter Railway when finished in 2021 and one million when the operation comes in full swing in 2025.
The North South Commuter Railway Project is part of the government’s ‘Build! Build! Build!’ an objective to catalyze economic growth in the most populous regions of the archipelago by providing critical connectivity through high impact infrastructures projects.

The project aims to revive the oldest rail system in southeast Asia which has been left in dire for decades. Neglect and incompetence have withered the once historic line. Corruption and politics (Northrail anomaly and err bus lines owned by politicians ehem) also played role in putting the trains to a halt. Sounds good to the ear right?
But wait there’s more….
The construction of Metro Manila Subway will also kick off this February. The first phase of the subway project will be opened in 2025 and will connect Quezon City and NAIA in Pasay. The JICA-sponsored 23 kilometer project will cost 260 billion pesos.

Also, November last year when Makati City government launched the construction of Makati Infra-city subway. The 11-kilometer project will cost 3.7 billion dollars and expected to accommodate 700,000 passengers daily. Its projected completion will be in 2025. It will also have 11 stations, with connections to MRT 3, Pasig River Ferry and the Metro Manila Subway.

Source:PNR

The construction of infamous LRT 1 extension will also start in quarter 2 or 3 of 2019 according to Light Rail Manila Corporation (Finally!) But here’s the catch, the Metro Pacific-Ayala consortium might not be able to finish the already delayed project on time without the five-peso fare hike. Talk about frying the riding public on its own grease huh? Why would you say yes to a project if you don’t want the fund to come from your pockets? Are you stupid or what?
And lastly the LRT-7 or MRT-7 project is now on the roll and it is expected to be operational by 2021. The project will connect San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and North Avenue in Quezon City through a rapid train system and aims to decongest EDSA through diversion of provincial buses in the North.

With all these projects taking place, seems that we can break from the chains of ‘carmageddon’ and rush hour. The Philippines might undergo another ‘golden age of rail’, with seamless connections and cost-efficient transfer from one place to another. More jobs and market opportunities will be opened. Imagine that folks!
A working railway system will definitely fast track our economic growth. Let’s just hope and pray that these projects will go into fruition and not another white elephant in the room. Are we finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? Or are we gonna miss another train again? We will find it out soon.