Tutuban-Malolos PNR construction starts in Bulacan
CITY OF MALOLOS — Bulakenyos will soon experience a more convenient way to travel to the National Capital Region (NCR) as the North-South Commuter Railway (Malolos-Tutuban) Project Contract Package 02: Civil works for Elevated Structures and Three Stations starts construction following its groundbreaking ceremony last February 15, 2019 held in front of the Malolos Sports Center in this city.
It was attended by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, Mr. Hideo Arai of Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd., Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade (DOTr), DOTr USec. for Railway Timothy John Batan, and Philippine National Railways General (PNR) Manager Junn B. Magno.
As one of the flagship projects of the DOTr together with the PNR, in connection with the Build, Build, Build Program of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the said 37.6 kilometers mass transportation railway will have 10 stations including Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Cities of Meycauayan and Malolos, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto.
It will also be seamlessly integrated with the PNR North 2, Malolos-Clark Project and PNR South Commuter, Manila to Calamba, Laguna Project, forming one integrated commuter railway system that will serve commuters travelling to, from and within NCR, Region III, and Region IV-A.
Furthermore, Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado expressed his appreciation to the Duterte Administration for including the province in its Build, Build, Build, Program that will also bridge Bulacan to further opportunities and development.
“We are grateful that we are a part of the huge infrastructure development of the Duterte administration, which will not only aid us to more future opportunities but will also bring relief to Bulakenyo commuters,” Alvarado said.
The NSCR Project is made possible through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with its Loan Agreement signed on November 27, 2015. The Detailed Engineering Design was approved on August 2017 parallel to the procurement of the General Consultant, which has commenced on January 2018.
It is divided into four packages that includes the contract package mentioned above, which has gone through in-depth technical and financial evaluations and negotiations to come up with the most responsive bidder and finally award the contract package in transparency along with the Notice of Award to the contractor on January 3, 2019.
At present, the ongoing development and implementation of the project, has been implementing the proper resettlement program of the government as part of the social responsibility of the department for approximately over 300 informal settlers along the project ailment. This will ensure that no families will be left behind but will also improve their economic and social status providing them financing of socialized housing and livelihood programs under the monitoring and supervision of DOTr.