DOTr seeks bidders for Phase 2 of Malolos-Clark Railway

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga  , Philippines  —  The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has invited interested firms to join the bidding for the construction of the P628-billion, 52-kilometer Phase 2  railway from Malolos, Bulacan to the Clark International Airport.

DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said the contract would be divided into three packages as approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). He said the project should be finished by Sept. 2022.

Batan said that when finished, the railway system, whose ongoing Phase 1 would run from Tutuban in Manila to Malolos, would be capable of accomodating 550,000 passengers daily and would have stations in Malolos and Calumpit in Bulacan, as well as in Apalit, San Fernando and Angeles City in Pampanga.

He said the DOTr’s terms of reference (TOR) for the project would consist of underground tunnel in the area of Clark freeport.

Funds are to be sourced from the Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Batan also said the ADB would provide P286 billion to cover major structures such as viaducts, bridges and stations, while JICA would provide P201 billion for the assembling of the train cars and other electro-mechanical needs.

This, he said, is on top of the P201 billion to be shouldered by the Philippine government for other project needs.

Batan also reported that the construction of the Phase 1 of the railway project from Manila to Malolos has already started and would cost P193 billion when finished. Of the total cost, some P93 billion would come from JICA.