THE Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas rail project in the Luzon Economic Corridor is expected to be completed within a few years, contingent upon securing the necessary right of way, a government economic manager said.
Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go said that the railway project, with an estimated cost of $7 billion, should not take long to commence, especially with the ease of doing business.
“It should be [finished] in just a few years,” Go said on Monday at the sidelines of the Midyear Economic Forum hosted by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines.
The proposed budget of the project, according to Go, is still under study, while other components of the rail system, such as the builders, are still yet to be determined.
The corridor, comprising multiple components and phases, is intended to connect four major ports that handle 80 percent of the country’s traffic.
The 250-kilometer project will run between Subic and Batangas, passing through Metro Manila.
This massive infrastructure initiative is expected to transform the country’s economic landscape by improving connectivity and efficiency in the transportation of goods and services.
“That’s why we put in the right of way as a priority legislative measure,” Go said, adding that it was in their list of 10 priority legislative actions requested.
Congress has responded favorably to these measures, according to Go. He added that they acknowledged the importance of overcoming matters related to the right of way to ensure the project proceeds without delays.
Go also said that the project has attracted attention from other countries in the European Union and the G7 Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which coordinates funding and partnerships for major infrastructure projects.
“The lead for the GIP is in America, coordinating with us on this project,” the official said, though they refrained from commenting on specific funding details.
“Investing in the corridor is not just about the rail. It includes everything around it: infrastructure, businesses, shipbuilding, logistics facilities, semiconductors and data centers,” he said.
The Luzon Economic Corridor is a result of the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit between the US, Japan and the Philippines during the US trip of President Ferdinand Marcos in April.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said last month that the project design was expected to be completed by 2026, with railway construction commencing in 2027.
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