JICA-funded projects will extend to around 244 kilometers the country’s railway lines, which at present covers only 79 kilometers.
OUT of the 1.3 trillion yen which the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) projected to commit to the construction of various railway projects in the Philippines, 900 million yen has yet to be released.
Kiyo Kawabuchi, senior representative to the Philippines of the Japanese government aid group, said official development assistance (ODA) loans worth 400 billion yen have been committed to railway projects. JICA identified the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension, LRT Line 2 East Extension, Metro Manila Subway, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 Rehabilitation and the North-South Commuter Railway as projects which have received its funding.
In a separate statement the Department of Transportation said the projects are intended to extend to around 244 kilometers the country’s railway lines, which at present covers only 79 kilometers.
A report published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer late last week quoted Kawabuchi as saying that JICA would have to “add 900 billion yen more to its lending program for the Philippines to complete the ongoing railway projects.”
In a related development, JICA on June 18 said it signed an agreement with the Philippine government in which it would provide an ODA loan of up to $202 million for road network projects in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
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