Mindanao railway to start in Q2 of 2018

THE first phase of the Mindanao Express Railway is targeted to begin by the 2nd quarter of 2018, said Transportation secretary Arthur Tugade.

During the 4th Davao Investment Conference last Friday, July 21, at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier, Tugade said the first phase of the railway will include the 105-kilometer railway system that would cover Tagum City, Davao City, and Digos City. This is part of the entire 830-kilometer railway planned to be put up in Mindanao.

The Tagum-Davao0Digos line will have eight stations, Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Mudiang, Davao, Toril, Sta. Cruz, and Digos. The longest line in Phase 1 will be the Toril, Davao City-Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur line at 26.29 kilometers.

“The Mindanao Express Railway had already been approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) board and is now ready for feasibility study, detailed engineering, and after that bidding,” said Tugade.

For his part, Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) Chairperson Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto said the Mindanao Express Railway will connect the regions of Mindanao through a railway system for freight and passengers.

“The project is seen to boost trade and commerce through the enhanced linkages and efficient movement of products and services,” he said.

Alonto said the railway project will connect Mindanao’s key cities of Davao, Digos, Cotabato, Marawi, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan, Butuan, Tagum, and Panabo, with the main loop and other sub-centers in Zamboanga, Dipolog, Pagadian, Surigao, Koronadal, and General Santos, with the spur lines.

Alonto added, “Minda will continue to push for the development of the complete railway loop to achieve the goal of a Mindanao-wide interconnectivity.”

Tugade said the Philippines currently has 77 kilometers of railways in total which they target to increase up to 1,900 kilometers by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.

During Tugade’s talk on increase the mobility and connectivity of the Filipinos, he said the problems in traffic and transportation is a nationwide challenge with an average of P2 trillion lost daily because of these.

This problem, according to him, will be remedied through better means of transportation and infrastructure.

“Enhanced connectivity and mobility is needed by the Philippines for better economic development,” he said.

On question about the assurance of these transportation projects to be pushed through, Tugade said the Duterte administration is different from the previous administrations and assured everyone that whatever they promised and has started will be finished, also adding the non-tolerance of President Duterte with corruption.

Tugade said they plan to have transparency on their services, promising livestream videos on bidding process of these projects. SunStar Philippines