DOTr signs contract with Japanese firm for Tutuban-Malolos railway

Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Sumitomo Corporation have signed the Package 3 contract for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 which connects Tutuban and Malolos directly.

On July 16, 2019, DOTr Arthur Tugade and Sumitomo Corporation Social Infrastructure Business Division General Manager Hiroshi Karashima signed the 37.6-kilometer railway that reduces travel time between Manila and Malolos, Bulacan to 30-35 minutes from over 1 hour.

“This is the reason why we are all here today—to sign an agreement where the trains you see, the prototype you see, will come into fruition by 2021. The first agenda is to come to an agreement and principle that we will strive to work together so that we will realize the Tutuban to Malolos route by the end of 2021,” said Tugade

There will be a total of 13 trainsets that will be acquired with each trainset having a total of 8 cars and 2,242 overall passengers (seating and standee). The PNR Clark Phase 1 will be connected to PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos to Clark) and PNR South Commuter which makes it an integrated commuter railway system.

An estimated total project cost of USD 6.139 Billion is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Tugade also said that the trains and the Tutuban-Malolos route are expected to arrive at the end of 2021.

DOTr the Contract Package 1 signed last May 20 covers the construction of six stations (Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, and Bocaue). The Contract Package 2, on the other hand, was signed last January 23 which covers the stations in Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos.

Source: Philippine Information Agency