Construction of the 54-kilometer Malolos-Clark Railway is expected to begin before yearend following the signing of the project’s three civil work contracts worth more than $1.7 billion.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) yesterday hosted the signing ceremony for the three remaining contracts which will complete the five civil works packages worth $2.5 billion needed to start the project’s construction.
The Malolos to Clark project is part of the planned 163-km. North-South Commuter Railway is co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
“The signing of these contracts means the Malolos-Clark Railway Project construction will now go on full speed, helping the country’s economic revival over the next 12-24 months.
When completed by 2025 based on current plans, we expect the project to benefit nearly 350,000 commuters daily,” said ” said Ramesh Subramaniam, ADB director general for Southeast Asia.
Partial operation is targeted by 2023 and full completion in 2025.
The first contract package was awarded to the joint venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. and Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd. of Korea and Megawide Construction Corp.
Spain’s Acciona Construction Philippines Inc. and Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd. won the second contract package while the third contract package was awarded to Italian-Thai Development Public Co. Ltd.
The other two contract packages were awarded in August to a joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines Inc. and EEI Corp. and POSCO Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. of Korea.
A sixth contract for the construction of the Blumentritt station of the railway line will undergo rebidding.
