Another stop earmarked for Mindanao Rail System

DAVAO CITY – City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) head Ivan Cortez said that his agency has proposed to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) another main train station in Davao City for the Mindanao Railway System (MRS).

Cortez said the recommendation was made through the Regional Development Council (RDC), and proposed that another main station be put up somewhere along the Bukidnon-Davao (Buda) Road, instead of just three originally planned stations – Mudiang in Bunawan, Davao Terminal, and Toril.

He said the Buda area, which is also considered a major entry and exit point of the city, was left out in the original plan of the Mindanao Railway.

According to DOTr, the first segment of the railway, which will run from Tagum, Davao, and Digos Cities will reduce travel time from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours once it starts operating in 2022.

It said that the first segment will not only “make travel faster, but also safer, more convenient and comfortable for passengers in the Tagum-Digos corridor.

It will have stops in Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Mudiang (in Bunawan, Davao City), Davao Terminal, Toril. Sta. Cruz, and Digos.

A 10-hectare depot will be built in Tagum.

The recommendation added the rail line will be built with a single track, with provisions for future tracks and electrification. It will have six five-car passenger trains with three spare cars, four locomotives and 15 freight cars.

Upon completion of the project, the DOTr expects the daily ridership of the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment to increase to 134,060 by 2022.

In full, the 1,500-km. railway seeks to connect all key areas of the island such as Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Zamboanga, Butuan, Surigao, General Santos, and Davao.

Cortez said Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio has created a team which is now planning the long-term transport projects in the city.

“The City Government with directives of Mayor Sara, she has formed a group on traffic and transport to look into the ways and means in providing plans and program and solutions to traffic problem,” he said.