Thursday, March 17, 2022
TUGADE TO UNVEIL FIRST 8 OUT OF 104 NSCR TRAIN CARS, TO SIGN CONTRACT FOR 304 MORE TRAIN CARS
VALENZUELA, METRO MANILA - Continuing its record-breaking streak, the massive North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System will reach two milestones on Friday, 18 March 2022, with the unveiling of the first 8 out of 104 NSCR train cars (13 8-car train sets) ordered last July 2019, and the back-to-back contract signing for an additional 304 train cars (38 8-car train sets) for the 147-kilometer NSCR System.
Led by Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, DOTr and PNR will unveil the NSCR's first 8-car train set, which was ordered from the Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-TREC) and Sumitomo Corporation, manufactured in Yokohama, Japan, and designed to comply with both Japanese and international standards.
The NSCR's train sets are designed to operate at up to 120 kilometers per hour, shortening the travel time from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Calamba in Laguna from more than 4 hours down to less than 2 hours.
After decades of attempts starting as early as 1994, the 38 kilometer PNR Clark 1 and 53 kilometers PNR Clark 2 segments of the 147-kilometer NSCR System are finally ongoing full-blast construction.
With 35 stations spanning 28 Local Government Units (LGU) from Mabalacat, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna, the NSCR System is expected to serve over a million passengers per day. During construction, the project is expected to create around 50,000 direct jobs and 110,000 indirect jobs, with an additional 8,000 jobs created when the railway line starts full operations.
The NSCR System is the Duterte Administration’s single largest flagship project under the Build Build Build Program, which aims to move more people, provide more comfortable travel, and boost inclusive regional growth.
More than 3,000 QC families to get better homes
A total of 3,675 families from the NIA Road (National Irrigation Administration) in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City will be given better and decent homes after the local government and the Nation Housing Authority (NHA) signed the Usufruct Agreement.
Mayor Joy Belmonte, Vice-mayor Gian Sotto, Representative Jesus “Bong” Suntay signed the agreement on Wednesday, March 15, with NHA General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada.
Under the Usufruct Agreement, the 20,955 square meter NIA compound, owned by the NHA, will be developed into a housing project for the families who are currently living in the area.
Different facilities like playgrounds, day care and health care centers, and multi-purpose hall that will also be built for the residents’ needs.
Councilor Irene Belmonte, Councilor Ivy Lagman, City Legal Officer Attorney Nino Casimiro, Housing Community Development and Resettlement Department (HCDRD) Chief Ramon Asprer, City Architect Lucille Chua, and Brgy. Pinahan Chairman Carl Lipnica were also present during the event.
The local government said that since July 2019, a total of 17,907 residents have become beneficiaries of various housing programs in the city.
https://mb.com.ph/2022/03/17/more-than-3000-qc-families-to-get-better-homes/