Photo credit: CNN Philippines
The Malolos-Clark segment or phase two of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is now 32 percent complete and is on track to be completed in 2024.
In a Laging Handa briefing on Monday, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the NSCR Phase 2 began construction this year.
“Sa kasalukuyan ay meron tayong 32 percent na overall progress rate para sa PNR Clark Phase 2 at inaasahan natin na yan ay matapos--kabuuan mula Manila hanggang Clark--by the year 2024 (To date we have a 32 percent overall progress rate for the PNR Clark Phase and we’re expecting this to be completed—from Manila to Clark—by the year 2024),” Batan said.
The NSCR is composed of three segments—the PNR Clark Phase 1 that began construction in 2019, PNR Clark Phase 2, and PNR Calamba that is slated to begin construction next year.
“Itong [NSCR] ay meron haba na 147 kilometers (km) at meron yan 35 na mga istasyon at yan ay magdadaan sa 25 na cities at municipalities mula sa Clark International Airport (CRK) hanggang Calamba (The NSCR is 147 km long and has 35 stations that will pass through 25 cities and municipalities from CRK to Calamba),” Batan said.
He said the NSCR is expected to provide a total of 25,000 direct jobs.
“Sa Clark Phase 2 pa lang ay 7,000 jobs na ang magagawa at direct pa lang yan. Ibig sabihin yung mga trabahador natin, wala pa diyan yung mga indirect jobs na tinatawag na magmumula sa doon sa economic activity na isasagawa at maidudulot nitong proyekto (PNR Clark Phase 2 alone will provide 7,000 direct jobs. That only includes project workers, not including indirect jobs that will be created by the project’s economic activity),” Batan said.
On Saturday, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade and other officials conducted a site inspection of the underground railway station adjacent CRK that is part of the NSCR Phase 2.
Once operational, the journey from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga is seen to cut down to 30 to 35 minutes from the previous 1.5 to two-hour drive and will be part of the country’s first “Airport Express Service.” By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency
