“For a mega city like Manila, a consequence of a growing economy is the growing capacity of our people to own vehicles. With our traffic (situation), that is not the way to go. The solution to that is to develop mass transit systems. Thus, government is investing in rails, in BRTs (bus rapid transit systems) (and) likewise reforming the bus system,” said Joseph Emilio Abaya, secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication.Abaya said at present there is a right mix of population using public transportation and those using private cars, 80:20. But public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the country are in smaller modes like jeeps, tricycles and utility vehicles.“The direction is to migrate the smaller PUVs to mass transport systems and eventually migrate private owners into mass transit systems,” Abaya said.NSCR Phase 1 involves the construction of a 36.7-kilometer narrow-gauge elevated commuter railway from Malolos to Tutuban.Abaya said government is looking to finance Phase 1 through loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency or through the national budget whichever can deliver fast.Project construction is set in the first quarter of 2017, for completion by third quarter of 2020.The NSCR Phase 1 will use the Philippine National Railway’s right-of-way with 10 stations and a depot at Valenzuela, Bulacan The project’s total estimated cost is P117.3 billion and targeted to be implemented from 2015 with a 35-year operation period starting 2020.
via P288B rail to open in 2020 | Malaya Business Insight.
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