Mandaluyong city: Around 30 local and international companies participated in the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) 2-in-1 Market Engagement Conference for railway projects held on Monday at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Mandaluyong City. The initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to fast-track the completion of mass transport projects to serve more commuters.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DOTr stated that the conference covered the Institutional Capacity Strengthening: Project Delivery Support for Railway Projects (CDC-1) and the North-South Commuter Railway New Clark City Extension (NSCR-NCC-Ex) Project's Detailed Engineering Design and International Checking Engineer. Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez emphasized the role of mass rail transportation in improving regional connectivity and the mobility of people and goods.
Lopez expressed gratitude to the participating companies for their interest in enhancing the rail sector to offer more comfortable and efficient travel for passengers. He highlighted the necessity of increasing the number of trains and improving the capabilities of personnel involved in the projects to expedite their completion.
DOTr Assistant Secretary for Railways - Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships Eduardo Danilo Macabulos noted that the high turnout of participants signifies the private sector's trust in the DOTr's transparent and fair procurement processes. He remarked that many companies and consultants, both local and international, are willing to assist in implementing the projects.
Macabulos also underlined the ongoing trust of the private sector in participating in these projects due to the DOTr's transparent procurement and its capacity to continue the railway pipeline in the coming year. He added that railways would help address traffic congestion while providing more comfortable travel between Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
According to the DOTr Rail Unified Project Management Office, the consultant for CDC-1 will assist in strengthening the institutional capacity of the DOTr railways sector's Project Management Offices in project delivery, performance management, and capability development. The NSCR-NCC-Ex is an 18.1-km railway extension that includes constructing one additional station in New Clark City, Tarlac. The proposed extension aims to enhance the transportation network and alleviate traffic congestion in the Greater Capital Region by extending the NSCR further north.
