The Department of Transportation is gearing up for a major push on the long-delayed Mindanao Railway Project as it prepares to relocate 178 families living along the proposed rail alignment.
According to the agency, right-of-way activities are now underway to ensure construction of the project’s first phase begins without further setbacks. A budget of P148 million has been earmarked for relocation efforts, with the first 96 beneficiary families expected to transfer to a designated train village by the first quarter of next year.
The initial phase of the railway, covering the Tagum–Davao–Digos corridor, spans roughly 100 kilometers and includes eight stations linking Tagum City in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Digos City in Davao del Sur. Once operational, the line is projected to slash travel time between Tagum and Digos from three hours down to one, serving an estimated 122,000 passengers daily.
The project has been a key infrastructure priority of the national government. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said his administration has been working to secure new financing sources for the railway after China’s previously pledged assistance failed to progress. A senior economic official had cited Beijing’s concerns over geopolitical conditions as a factor in the stalled talks.
Despite the funding challenges, the DOTr maintains that groundwork must continue to keep the Mindanao Railway on track, with relocation efforts now forming a critical part of its push to finally bring the long-envisioned project to life.