PNR Clark Phase 1 progress rate at 45.82%, on track for Q2 2024 completion —DOTr

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Thursday the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 project is on track to be completed by the second quarter of 2024.

In a statement, the DOTr said the PNR Clark Phase 1 or the Tutuban-Malolos line is currently 45.82% complete.

The project is a 38-kilometer railway that will connect Tutuban Station in Manila to Malolos in Bulacan.

PNR Clark Phase 1 has 10 stations, which will cut across the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela and the municipalities of Meycuayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto and Malolos in Bulacan.

Once completed, the project is expected to serve 300,000 passengers daily and will reduce travel time from Malolos, Bulacan to Tutuban from an hour and 30 minutes to 35 minutes, according to the DOTr.

The department said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade conducted a site inspection on the project on May 26.

“This is very historical dahil apat na beses na sinubukan ang paggawa nitong proyektong ito simula 1993, at ngayon ang kauna-unahan na mayroon tayong konstruksyon [This is very historical as there had been four attempts to jumpstart the project since 1993, and now for the first time, construction is ongoing],” Tugade said.

The Transportation chief noted that previous administrations made attempts to start the project but have failed to deliver on its construction.

The project, co-funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was signed in November 2015.

Tugade said he personally inspected the site to prove that the project is continuing and is moving forward.

He added that the project’s training simulator will be arriving between September and October, while the trains will arrive in December.

At least 7,500 workers were employed during the construction of the project, while 2,000 additional jobs will be made available once the project becomes operational, according to Tugade.

He said that at least 200 former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are currently employed in the project, while more jobs will be opened prioritizing more OFWs, and displaced Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers and conductors. -MDM, GMA News