The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railway (PNR) today started to undertake advance construction mobilization for PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos), which includes pre-construction activities such as site clearing, grading of unleveled surfaces, and demolition of obstructing structures.

During the commencement of works for the railways project at Barangay Tabing-Ilong, Marilao, Bulacan, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade emphasized that the activity is proof of DOTr’s efforts to explore and pursue acceleration measures, such as doing parallel activities previously done sequentially, in order to achieve faster project completion. Based on previous practice, site clearing works had to wait after the awarding of a project to a general contractor.

“DOTr understands the need to complete this project faster. That is why we pursued these works parallel with the procurement of the general contractor, which is scheduled to be selected by the 2nd quarter of 2018 for PNR Clark Phase 1,” Tugade said.

“Immediately after the program, the work starts," added Tugade.

The event was also attended by PNR executives, including Chairman Roberto Lastimoso and General Manager Junn Magno, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda and Japan International Cooperation Agency country representative Susumu Ito.

The Japanese government is funding the project through a 241.99 billion yen loan or $2.14 billion granted in 2015.

Phase 1 of the PNR Clark Project entails the construction of the rail systems along the 38-kilometer segment from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan. Once completed in 2021, it will have 10 stations and is expected to service around 340,000 passengers daily.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has approved Phase 2 of the project, a 70 kilometer stretch from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga. It will be further extended north to La Union, Tuguegarao and to Subic Freeport.

Tugade appealed to the several local, provincial and congressional officials in Bulacan to help the department in the right of way issue, assisting DOTr in informing their respective constituents about the benefits of the railway project once completed. DMS