By Lorenz S. Marasigan
THE Department of Transportation and Communications has moved the submission of qualification documents for the P170.7-billion North-South Railway Project-South Line deal by 15 days to “give prospective bidders sufficient time to prepare.”
The submission was moved from March 31 to April 15, Transportation Undersecretary for Operations and Public-Private Partnership Implementation Edwin R. Lopez said in a bid bulletin.
The proposed railway line covers Metro Manila to Legazpi City, Albay, plus a number of existing and proposed branch lines totaling to approximately 653 kilometers.
It will consist of commuter-railway operations between Tutuban and Calamba, Laguna, and long-haul railway operations between Tutuban and Legazpi, Albay, including extended long-haul rail operations on the branch line between Calamba and Batangas and extension between Legazpi and Matnog.
The railway between the existing Tutuban station and the city of Calamba, in Laguna province, is a 56-km section of the project and is proposed to have commuter-rail operations in addition to long-haul rail operations of train line.
This section represents an existing Philippine National Railway right-of-way, which runs through Metro Manila.
Currently, the project has a narrow-gauge railway. But extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction is needed to bridges and road crossings to bring them to safe operating condition.
The South Line is expected to be completed by 2019. It is part of a two-phase railway-construction project that is supported by the Japanese government.
The other phase involves the construction of a 36.7-km narrow-gauge elevated commuter railway from Malolos, Bulacan, to Tutuban in Manila. It is seen to be completed by the third quarter of 2020. This project is implemented under an official development-assistance package from the Japanese government.
The two-phase project is part of the P4.76-trillion Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and its Surrounding Areas, otherwise known as the Dream Plan, which was formulated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The Dream Plan lists the transport infrastructure requirements of the Philippines, facilities that are expected to alleviate potential losses and gain from prospective savings. If the transport road map would not be implemented through 2030, the Philippines stands to lose roughly P6 billion daily in traffic costs. Currently, it loses P2 billion a day in transport costs.
A large chunk of the list will be implemented under the public-private partnership scheme, which has been gaining traction since its launch in 2010.