DAVAO CITY — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved the implementation of the Phase-1 of the 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 the meeting on November 29 meeting.
In a press statement, issued December 6, Department of Transportation DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade thanked the decision of the NEDA Board, saying the move brings the Mindanao Railway Project closer to realization.
Tugade stressed “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.”
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib described the approval as a major leap in the government’s Build Build Build Program “It is not only beneficial to my province but it will greatly improve the life of my people and Mindanao as a whole.”
“To be included in the Phase I of the project will have high impact in the economic development of the province and the lives of the people,” Jubahib stressed.
The 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.
The Phase 1 is designed to accommodate around 130,000 passengers daily in its first year of full operations. Once fully operational, travel time between 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 happy over the decision of the NEDA Board.
Villar emphasized that the MRP will transform the socio-economic landscape of Mindanao”It will surely benefit the people of Mindanao and those having business here “IT is the railway to be built outside of Luzon, the MRP will transform the socio-economic landscape of Mindanao.”
The realization of Mindanao railway project is Duterte’s vision for Mindanao which according to the President will surely spur economic growth, improve the life of the Mindanaoan’s and help in his campaign to provide convenient and safe access, and aboveall, help in his campaign against insurgency through economic development.
Partial operations are targeted by the second quarter of 2022 for the Tagum-Davao line, while full operations for the Tagum-Davao-Digos line will be in the fourth quarter of 2022.-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph
