The Investment Coordination Committee of the Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has approved the development of three commuter rail projects at a total investment of PhP 531.69 billion. These are the Mindanao Railway Project’s Tagum-Davao-Digos (MRP-TDD), North South Railway Project (NSRP) – South Line, and the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP). MRP-TDD is the first phase of the proposed 830-km Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) loop. The line will span 102.28 km from Tagum City in Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur. The second project, the NSRP – South Line, will consist of three tracks that will run from Tutuban to Los Baños for the commuter rail line (72 km) and Los Baños to Sorsogon for the long-haul line (581 km). The project, which requires an investment of PhP 285 billion, will be financed through official development assistance (ODA). The third project, the MCRP, will be developed in two phases. Phase I will extend from Malolos, Bulacan, to the Clark International Airport, and Phase II from the airport to Clark Green City. The project will be developed at an investment of PhP 211.43 billion and will be financed through ODA. While work on Phase I is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2019, construction of Phase II will begin in 2022. The phases are due to be operationalised by 2022 and 2024 respectively.
