TAGUM CITY — Davao del Norte Governor Edwin I. Jubahib welcomed the announcement of the Department of Transportation (DTTr) regarding the Mindanao Railway Project which includes his Province.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade on Friday announced that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved the implementation of Phase-1 Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) next year.
The NEDA Investment Coordination Committee – Cabinet Committee (ICC-CabCom) gave its go signal by confirming the July 10 and September 27 approval for the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment or Phase 1 of the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP-TDD) during its meeting on November 29.
Jubahib described the approval as a major leap in the government’s Build Build Build Program as this will benefit the whole of Mindanao and Davao del Norte in particular. “To be included in the Phase I implementation of the project will also mean high impact in terms of economic development which we believe will trickle in uplifting the quality of lives that local constituents await,” Jubahib stressed.
Economic impact, according to Jubahib, shall mean more opportunities such as livelihood for the people of Davao del Norte and it will pump prime local economy such as employment to the construction industry.
In a press statement issued on December 6, the Department of Transportation DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade thanked the decision of the NEDA Board, saying that the move brings the Mindanao Railway Project closer to realization.
Tugade also stressed as saying, “This builds on the dream of President Rodrigo Duterte to generate development in Mindanao through an efficient rail system that will not only move people throughout the island of Mindanao, but will also generate needed economic growth.”
Phase 1 of the project includes:
- The proposed 830-kilometer MRP Loop. It aims to establish a 74-km at-grade and 26-km elevated (viaduct) commuter railway from Tagum City in Davao del Norte to Digos City in Davao del Sur.
- Phase 1 will have eight stations located in Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Mudiang, Davao, Toril, Sta. Cruz, and Digos.
Phase 1 of the Project is also designed to accommodate around 130,000 passengers daily in its first year of full operations. Once fully operational, travel time from Tagum City to Digos City will be reduced from currently 3.5 hours to just 1.3 hours.
The same statement said that Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary, who also sits as the Government Infrastructure Cluster head Mark Villar was pleased over the decision of the NEDA Board as this will surely spur socio-economic benefits for the people of Mindanao.
The realization of Mindanao railway project is Duterte’s vision to improve the life of the Mindanaoans by way of providing convenient and safe access for transportation, and above all, resolve the root cause of insurgency problem via economic development.
Initial take-off for operations is targeted towards the second quarter of 2022 for the Tagum-Davao line, while full operations for the Tagum-Davao-Digos line will be around the fourth quarter of 2022.
