DOTr awards three PNR Malolos-Clark railway extension contracts

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has awarded the three remaining contracts for the Malolos-Clark extension of the NorthSouth

Commuter Railway System.

The award of the three contract packages completes the five civil works packages of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 2 project.

Contracts for Packages N-04 and N-05 were signed on August 1, 2020.

“Last month, we were full of enthusiasm as the first contracts of the PNR Clark Phase 2 were signed despite the pandemic. Ang sabi ko noon, ‘it is our way of saying that the Build, Build, Build (project) continues’. And now, the five contract packages are complete, hindi lang tuloy kung hindi tuluy na tuloy na, buhay na buhay na at masasabi nating walang makakapigil sa ating adhikain at proyektong magbibigay ng comfort and convenience sa ating mga kababayan,” DOTr Secretary Arthur

Tugade said in a statement.

Under the 'Build, Build, Build' Project, the notice of award was issued for Contract Package N-01, which covers 17 kilometers of elevated rail viaduct, seven balanced cantilever bridges, and two station buildings in the towns of Malolos and Calumpit in Bulacan, and in the towns of Apalit and Minalin in Pampanga.

The notice of award for Contract Package N-01 was awarded to the Joint Venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., Megawide Construction Corporation, and Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd.

Meanwhile, Contract Package N-02, which covers 16 kilometers of elevated viaduct and one station building in the towns of Minalin, Sto. Tomas, and San Fernando in Pampanga, was awarded to the Joint Venture of Acciona Construction Philippines and Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd.

Contract Package N-03, which covers 12 kilometers of elevated viaduct and one station building in the towns of San Fernando, Angeles, and Mabalacat in Pampanga, was awarded to the Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd.

“What we see here is the coming together of an impressive league of the biggest and the best players in the construction industry here and abroad, funded by the Asian Development Bank with its largest-ever financing package for a single project, to build the Philippine government's single largest project in history,” DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said.

Meanwhile, PNR General Manager Junn Magno said the progress for the PNR Clark Phase 2 remains on track.

“As of August, the (PNR Clark) Malolos-Clark segment has an overall progress rate of over 26 percent. It seems to quite catch-up with PNR Clark Phase 1 o ‘yung Tutuban to Malolos segment natin with over 40 percent. We remain hopeful and we keep exerting not just double but triple efforts to fast-track this project and at least make it partially operable before the end of President Duterte’s term,” Magno said.

The PNR Clark Phase 2 project is the 53-km northern segment of the 147-km North-South Commuter Railway System, which will run from Clark in Pampanga all the way to the town of Calamba in Laguna.

The NSCR will have 37 stations, spanning 26 local government units, and connecting 3 regions. The project will feature the country’s first Airport Express service, which will cut travel time between the Clark International Airport in Pampanga and Makati City from more than two hours by car, to just under one hour via the Airport Express. (Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)