(Photo courtesy of DOTr)
The Senate has assured continued funding for major railway projects as Senate Finance Committee chair Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and acting Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez inspected ongoing construction of the North-South Commuter Railway and Metro Manila Subway Project on Thursday.
Ejercito said he wanted to personally assess the projects and help ensure that funding would not be disrupted, citing the need to avoid further delays.
He said both the NSCR and the subway should be completed as soon as possible to benefit commuters in Metro Manila, Laguna, Pampanga and nearby areas.
Lopez said the Department of Transportation is working to speed up construction of both railway systems to reduce travel time and improve commuter productivity.
The inspection covered the NSCR’s West Valenzuela Station and Operations Control Center, the Metro Manila Subway depot and Quirino Station, as well as the Philippine Railway Institute.
Officials also inspected an eight-car NSCR train set capable of carrying at least 2,200 passengers per trip.
Both projects are funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Once operational, the 147-kilometer, 35-station NSCR is expected to serve around 800,000 passengers daily across Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon.
The 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway, meanwhile, is projected to serve about 519,000 passengers daily and cut travel time between Valenzuela City and NAIA Terminal 3 to around 40 minutes.
The two railway projects are expected to ease congestion in Metro Manila and support economic activity in nearby provinces.
