The Department of Transportation ( DOTr) on Monday inaugurated the construction of the first civil works package of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 in Valenzuela City.

Along with officials from the PNR, Japan International Agency (JICA), Japanese consortium Taisei Corp,, and the D.M. Consunji Holdings Incorporated, DOTr marked the start of the civil works package 1 of the PNR project with a contact signing.

Six stations will be constructed: Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, and Bocaue in Bulacan.

The project is co-financed through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan International Agency (JICA) with a loan agreement which was signed last 2015 and the Asian Development Bank

The first package was awarded to DMCI Holdings Inc. and Japanese firm Taisei Corp. The second package, which was awarded to Sumitomo-Mitsui Construction last January, began started construction on February.

According to DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, the construction of PNR Clark Phases 1 and 2 is planned to be completed on the fourth quarter of 2021.

"PNR Clark Phases one and two will be operational by 2022. It is projected to service up to 350,000 passengers per day when it opens in 2022 connecting Malolos to Tutuban in as little as 55 minutes," Batan said.

Batan also added that the North-South Commuter Railway project will be interconnected with Light Rail Transit 1 Blumentritt station, LRT 2 Sta. Mesa station, Metro Rail Transit 3 in EDSA station, Metro Manila Subway FTI station, and PNR Sucat station.

Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said the bidding for the Malolos to Clark phase of the project '' will start by July.''

"Hopefully the construction will start by the fourth quarter 2019. Hopefully it will be completed by the year 2020," Tugade said.

"However, I am convincing service providers to finish the project by 2021. I will cooperate with them and give life to the project by the year 2021," he added.

Tugade said he will be "personally monitoring" the project and make sure it will be completed ahead of time. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS