Trains in the Philippines

PNR to close some routes starting May for North-South Railway construction

Lance Spencer Yu

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PNR to close some routes starting May for North-South Railway construction

PNR. The inaugural run of new passenger coaches at the Philippine National Railways' Dela Rosa Station in Makati City on January 28, 2021.

Rappler

Routes from the Governor Pascual Station in Malabon to Calamba Station in Laguna route may be suspended as early as May 2023

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Railways (PNR) will suspend certain routes for up to five years to expedite the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

Routes from Governor Pascual station until Calamba station could stop as soon as May 2023, according to Transport Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez in a House committee hearing on Thursday, February 16.

Chavez said that the temporary closure of the PNR would allow the tracks and posts for the NSCR to be set up faster, saving up to eight months in construction time.

The DOTr also estimated that it could save up to P15.18 billion by suspending operations and avoiding the relocation of utilities like electricity.

Ang isa sa causes of the delay ng South Commuter project and Manila to Malolos is because continuous ang operation ng PNR. Second, ‘yung mga utilities ho, ang isang dahilan kung bakit magkakagastos tayo nang mas malaki. In the previous administration po kasi, tuloy-tuloy lang ang PNR operation habang side-by-side ginagawa ang konstruksyon,” Chavez said.

Sabi ho ng pag-aaral ng ating mga consultant, we save P15 billion by stopping the operation of PNR para nang sa ganoon imbis na marami kang utilities na ire-relocate, doon ka na mismo sa sentro ng linya ng PNR gumawa ng riles,” he added.

(One of the causes of delay of the South Commuter project and Manila to Malolos is the continuous operation of the PNR. Second, the utilities could be a reason why we may spend more. In the previous administration, the PNR continued operations alongside the construction. Based on the studies of our consultants, we could save P15 billion by stopping the operation of the PNR so that instead of relocating a lot of utilities, we could work on the rails right there in the center of the PNR line.)

The PNR will also suspend the Alabang-Calamba route by the end of May. Approved on October 6, 2022, the contract packages for the NSCR extension will affect the PNR stations from Alabang, Muntinlupa until Calamba City, Laguna, along with the train depot in Barangay Banlic, Calamba City.

Operations on the PNR Tutuban-Alabang route will also be suspended starting October 2023 to give way to the construction of the NSCR Manila-Alabang railway line, with the construction contract set to be awarded in March.

Chavez clarified that the NSCR will use and extend the existing line of the PNR, allowing the government to avoid right-of-way issues and delays. 

Para maunawaan ng ating mga kababayan, ‘yung North-South Commuter Railway project, ang ginagamit natin ay ang PNR alignment, ‘yung dating linya ng PNR. Therefore, may maliwanag tayong lupa,” Chavez said in a DZBB radio interview on Friday, February 17.

(To inform the public, the North-South Commuter Railway project will use the PNR alignment, the old line of the PNR. Therefore, we already have clear rights to the land.)

To cater to the 30,000 passengers affected by the PNR’s closure, the DOTr and PNR are tapping the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to provide alternative modes of transportation.

Meron na tayong ruta na pinaguusapan dito,” Chavez said in the radio interview. “I-aanounce namin ‘yung final na ruta at mga istasyon kung saan sila sasakay. Malapit din, doon mismo kung saan sila sumasakay, halimbawa sa Buendia, Magallanes, Paco, Santa Mesa, Blumentritt, España, Solis, at hanggang sa Tutuban.”

(We’re already discussing routes for this. We’ll announce the final routes and stations. These will be near where they used to ride, such as Buendia, Magallanes, Paco, Santa Mesa, Blumentritt, España, Solis, all the way to Tutuban.) – Rappler.com

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Lance Spencer Yu

Lance Spencer Yu is a multimedia reporter who covers the transportation, tourism, infrastructure, finance, agriculture, and corporate sectors, as well as macroeconomic issues.