San Jose Del Monte City: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has instructed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to establish a broadband co-sharing partnership with Smart Communications, Inc. to address the frequency issues affecting the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project.

According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos issued this directive during a meeting with the Regional Development Council 3 (Central Luzon) in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan. The President emphasized the importance of engaging in dialogue with Smart Communications’ chairperson and CEO, Manny Pangilinan, to resolve the broadband frequency problem impacting the NSCR signaling system.

Marcos noted that the issue has been pending for some time and expressed confidence in reaching a resolution through discussions with Smart. “We are asking Smart to give even a small broadband so it could be used by the commuter railway,” Marcos stated to DOTr officials.

DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon assured President Marcos that resolving the signaling system issue is a priority for the department. Dizon mentioned that he has already engaged in preliminary talks with Pangilinan and is optimistic about a swift resolution.

The NSCR is a 147-kilometer mass transit system connecting Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna. Once completed in 2026, it is expected to accommodate up to 800,000 passengers daily and significantly reduce travel time between Pampanga and Laguna to less than two hours.