Friday, June 10, 2022
ADB Approves $4.3 Billion for South Commuter Railway Project in Philippines
Manila: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved up to $4.3 billion to help finance the construction of nearly 55 kilometers (km) of modern suburban railway line connecting Metro Manila with the city of Calamba in the Philippines.
The investment in the South Commuter Railway Project, which is part of the North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) network, is ADB’s largest infrastructure financing in the Asia and Pacific region to date.
Once completed, the South Commuter Railway will offer commuters fast public transport, help to ease road traffic congestion, and contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Philippines’ climate change agenda.
The project follows ADB’s financing of the Malolos–Clark Railway line north of the capital, for which construction is ongoing.
"The South Commuter Railway Project will provide affordable, safe, reliable, and fast public transport for commuters," said ADB Vice-President for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Ahmed M. Saeed, in a press release on Thursday.
"This project represents ADB’s biggest infrastructure investment and reflects our commitment to helping the Philippines attain its goals of reducing poverty, improving the lives of Filipinos, and achieving green, resilient, and high economic growth," Saeed said.
The project includes the construction of 18 stations designed to provide safe access for all, including the elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities; and a connecting tunnel to allow the operation of direct trains from Calamba to stations on the future Metro Manila Subway system. All infrastructure will be designed to be disaster-resilient and able to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. The project will reduce travel time between Manila and Calamba by over half, from 2.5 hours currently by road.
The NSCR will further strengthen the Philippines’ economic recovery from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as it is expected to create more than 35,500 jobs during construction and over 3,200 permanent jobs during operation. It will create a substantial growth multiplier effect in the economy through supplier contracts and new opportunities opened with better connectivity in the region. It will improve access to an average of more than 300,000 jobs within any 1-hour commute for residents along the project, according to an ADB study.
ADB’s Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility supported the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in preparing the project. The loan will further support the capacity development and institutional strengthening of DOTr, the implementing agency. The railway will be elevated to avoid flooding and reduce the impact and disruption to communities along the railway route. A technical assistance grant will support affected communities.
The South Commuter Railway Project will be financed under a multitranche financing facility, with the first tranche of $1.75 billion to be made available starting this year. The release of the second and third tranches is expected in 2024 and 2026, respectively. ADB will finance civil works for the railway viaduct, stations, bridges, tunnels, and depot buildings. The Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding the rolling stock and railway systems.
The project is one of the Philippines’ infrastructure flagship projects (IFP) and is part of the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure development program. Other IFPs financed by ADB include the Metro Manila Bridges Project in 2021, the EDSA Greenways Project in 2020, the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project in 2016 and additional financing in 2020, the Malolos Clark Railway Project in 2019, and the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project in 2017.
ADB approves up to P227-B loan for South Commuter Railway project
The 54.6km rail line will connect Manila City to Calamba in Laguna
Construction of PNR Clark Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the North-South Commuter Railway has been well underway for a while now. This, however, only covers the northern side of the project.
We expect to soon see significant progress down south, though, as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has just approved a loan of up to $4.3 billion—or P227.69 billion if you want to do the math—for the South Commuter Railway. This is reportedly the ADB’s largest infrastructure financing in the Asia and Pacific region to date.
The South Commuter Railway Project will include the construction of 18 stations from Manila City to Calamba in Laguna. The rail line will span 54.6km. The project’s first of its three tranches will be available this year, the second in 2024, and the third in 2026.
“The South Commuter Railway Project will provide affordable, safe, reliable, and fast public transport for commuters,” said ADB vice president for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Ahmed Saeed. “This project represents ADB’s biggest infrastructure investment and reflects our commitment to helping the Philippines attain its goals of reducing poverty, improving the lives of Filipinos, and achieving green, resilient, and high economic growth.”
LRT-2 set for P5.8B upgrade
By Myla Iglesias
Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has allocated a P5.8-billion capital investment for the upgrade and improvement of the Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT-2) in the next four years.
According to LRTA’s corporate plan for this year up to 2025, the government has allocated a capital investment of P2.8 billion, P1.3 billion, P1.07 billion and P629.2 million for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The capital investment in the next four years will be used for several projects in the pipeline that would improve the operation of LRT-2.
These include the systems maintenance inventory buildup, maintenance services for the LRT-2 East extension system equipment and facilities which started last April and will be completed by March 2024, consulting services for the LRT-2 system capacity expansion program project in the second half of this year, and the restoration of rectifier substation and repair of structural cracks on the LRT-2’s viaducts and stations.
LRTA said it will also upgrade the onboard signaling for four LRT-2 train sets and restore signaling equipment damaged by fire incidents in July this year up to 2024.
Of the total P2.8-billion capital investment for 2022, P2.4 billion will be funded through the national government subsidy, according to LRTA.
At present, LRT-2 is operating with nine trains. It is expected to operate with a total of 10 commercial trains by the fourth quarter of the year. By 2024, the operational trains will increase to 14, LRTA said.
In July last year, the Department of Transportation has started operating the 3.79-kilometer elevated LRT-2 East extension with two additional stations – the Marikina-Pasig and Antipolo stations – to the existing line between Santolan in Pasig and Recto in Manila.
https://malaya.com.ph/news_business/lrt-2-set-for-p5-8b-upgrade/
Philippines gets $4.3- billion loan for south railway line
The Philippines has secured $4.3 billion or P227.6 billion in loan financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to construct the South Commuter Railway project that would connect Metro Manila and Calamba in Laguna.
In a statement yesterday, the ADB said it has approved the loan to finance the construction of around 55 kilometers of the suburban railway line.
The South Commuter Railway project, which is part of the North-South Commuter Railway network, is the ADB’s largest infrastructure financing in the Asia and Pacific region to date.
This is also the country’s biggest loan from the ADB in the transport and road systems sector.
The project will be financed under a multi-tranche financing facility, with the first tranche of $1.75 billion to be made available starting this year.
The release of the second and third tranches is expected in 2024 and 2026, respectively.
The ADB will finance civil works for the railway viaduct, stations, bridges, tunnels, and depot buildings.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding the rolling stock and railway systems.
The project is expected to offer commuters fast public transport, help ease traffic congestion and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
ADB approves $4.3-B railway financing
THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday approved a $4.3-billion loan for the construction of the South Commuter Railway project.
In a statement, the ADB said the fund will be used for the construction of nearly 55 kilometers of railway line connecting Metro Manila with Calamba City, Laguna.
The project includes the construction of 18 stations designed to provide access for all, and a connecting tunnel to allow the operation of direct trains from Calamba to stations on the future Metro Manila subway system.
ADB said all infrastructure will be designed to be disaster-resilient and able to withstand typhoons and earthquakes.
The project will reduce travel time between Manila and Calamba by over half, from 2.5 hours currently by road.
"The South Commuter Railway Project will provide affordable, safe, reliable and fast public transport for commuters," said Ahmed Saeed, ADB vice president for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
"This project represents ADB's biggest infrastructure investment and reflects our commitment to helping the Philippines attain its goals of reducing poverty, improving the lives of Filipinos, and achieving green, resilient, and high economic growth," added Saeed.
The investment in the South Commuter Railway Project, which is part of the North-South Commuter Railway network, is ADB's largest infrastructure financing in the Asia and Pacific region to date.
ADB said the North-South Commuter Railway will help the Philippines recover from the impact of the pandemic as it is expected to create more than 35,500 jobs during construction and over 3,200 permanent jobs during operation.
It is also expected to improve access to an average of more than 300,000 jobs within any one-hour commute for residents along the project, according to an ADB study.
ADB's Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility supported the Department of Transportation (DoTr) in preparing the project.
The loan will further support the capacity development and institutional strengthening of DoTr, the implementing agency.
The railway will be elevated to avoid flooding and reduce the impact and disruption to communities along the railway route. A technical assistance grant will support affected communities.
The South Commuter Railway Project will be financed under a multi-tranche financing facility, with the first tranche of $1.75 billion to be made available starting this year.
The release of the second and third tranches is expected in 2024 and 2026, respectively.
ADB will finance civil works for the railway viaduct, stations, bridges, tunnels and depot buildings while the Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding the rolling stock and railway systems.