Philippine government officials and Asian Development Bank executives during the announcement of the bank’s approval of a $2.75-billion loan.
THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) disclosed in a May 23 press briefing it approved a $2.75-billion loan — its single largest financing lend-out for an infrastructure project.
The loan, according to a May 24 statement released to reporters by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is intended for the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway’s (NSCR) PNR Clark Phase 2 and PNR Calamba.
The two Philippine National Railways projects form part of the 147-kilometer train system connecting Clark in Pampanga, Metro Manila and Calamba in Laguna.
According to the DOTr, the ADB will be financing the civil works of PNR Clark Phase 2 and the first segment of PNR Calamba (Solis to Blumentritt in Manila), including their stations, bridges, viaducts for the elevated railway alignment, and a tunnel leading to the underground station at Clark International Airport.
The PNR Clark Phase 2 will become the country’s first express railway to service an airport.
The DOTr said PNR Clark Phase 2 will have six train stations — Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark and Clark Airport — which will include multimodal facilities so commuters can transfer from public utility vehicles to trains.
It added the Malolos-Clark leg is targeted to start partial operations in 2022, and will serve 350,000 passengers daily. Once in full operation, the facility can serve one million passengers a day.
The PNR Clark Phase 2 is seen to cut travel time from Makati City to Clark, Pampanga, to 55 minutes. The trip now usually takes around three hours.
The DOTr said ADB Philippines country director Kelly Bird cited the collective effort of the transport department, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the Department of Finance, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, ADB’s financing partner in the railways project.
“It’s been a remarkable effort by the DOTr and its officials to make the preparations on time. This is quite an historic day for us. From a development perspective, we are pleased that this investment is taking place in ADB’s host country,” Bird said.
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