Manila: The Economy and Development Council Chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) operations and maintenance project under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement during a meeting on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) stated that the NSCR is one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the Marcos administration. The project is aimed at modernizing public transportation and enhancing regional connectivity across Luzon. The NSCR, a 147-km elevated railway line, is expected to streamline travel across Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon, benefiting 800,000 passengers daily in its first year, with potential to serve up to one million commuters eventually.
The railway line will include 35 stations, with 31 elevated, three at-grade, and one underground. Pre-operations are set to begin in March 2026 and will run until July 2027. The concession period for the partial operations of Phase 1, which extends from Clark International Airport to Valenzuela, covering 13 stations, will commence in December 2027 and continue until September 2028. Phase 2 will further extend services to Nichols in Pasay City, with an additional segment from Alabang, Muntinlupa City to Calamba, Laguna, running from October 2028 until December 2031. Full operations are anticipated to start in January 2032.
The estimated cost for the operations and maintenance contract is PHP229.32 billion, with depots located in Clark, Pampanga; Valenzuela City; and Calamba, Laguna to support the railway's maintenance and operations. The NSCR will feature two types of train services: commuter trains with 51 trainsets, each accommodating 2,242 passengers, and Limited Express trains with seven trainsets, each carrying 386 passengers. These services aim to significantly improve travel speeds, with trains operating at speeds between 120 km and 130 km per hour.
DEPDev highlighted that the travel time from Clark to Calamba would be reduced to approximately three hours via commuter service, down from about four hours, while the limited express service would cut travel time from Clark to Alabang to about two hours. DEPDev Secretary and ED Council Vice-Chair Arsenio Balisacan stated that the North-South Commuter Railway Project represents a significant move toward faster, greener, and more interconnected transportation for Filipinos. The system will integrate with the Metro Manila Subway and promote green and commercial development along its corridors.
Aside from discussing the NSCR operations and maintenance, the ED Council also addressed the midterm update of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 during the meeting. The midterm update refines and recalibrates the country's key policies, strategies, programs, and legislative priorities to ensure alignment with evolving economic conditions and development goals.
DEPDev spearheads the updating process of the Plan at the midpoint of each administration to assess progress and make necessary adjustments to targets and interventions. Arsenio Balisacan noted that lessons from past experiences have informed recent efforts, and the administration is committed to sustaining momentum for the second half of its term. Following the Council meeting discussions, DEPDev will receive comments from various agencies to finalize the updated Plan, which is expected to be released to the public by the end of this month.
