CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — To public school teacher Romar Briones of Calamba City, the Marcos administration’s North-South Commuter Railway System (NSCR) project will drive economic growth in the provinces while easing up mass transport.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. laid out several road network plans on his second State of the Nation (SONA) on Monday, July 24 that included railway projects with a total length of more than 1,000 kilometers.
“The underlying logic to our infrastructure development is economic efficiency. We are opening up all gateways to mobilize goods and services at less cost and in less time, and ultimately, to drive the economy forward,” the President said.
He added, the road network plans must link not only the country’s three major islands, but all prospective sites of economic development.
“Notably, the southern leg of the North-South Commuter Railway System is now in full swing. In a few years, travel from Pampanga to Laguna will be reduced from four hours to just two,” the President said.
Briones, a teacher at the Lecheria Integrated School and railway commuter, said the NSCR project will also provide access to communities outside the country’s capital.
“Ang plano niya kagaya sa (North-South Commuter Railway) hindi lang sa kabisera magkakaroon ng access pagdating sa ganyang transportasyon kundi maging sa mga probinsya sa Pilipinas na malaking tulong kasi isa sa mga nagiging problema ng ekonomiya natin yung problema sa transportasyon,” Briones said.
He added: “Medyo nagkakaroon ng problema tuloy yung mga mag-iinvest sa Pilipinas hindi sila tumutuloy kasi una kailangan magkaroon ng mode of transportation para magflow yung business nila so yun yung isa mga nagustuhan ko sa mga ginawa ni (President) Bongbong Marcos.”
A flagship project under the ‘Build Better More’ Program, the 147.26-km NSCR system aims to seamlessly connect Clark, Pampanga and Calamba City, Laguna. It will also reduce travel time from Metro Manila to its neighboring provinces from 4-4.5 hours to just less than two hours.
‘Build Better More’. The NSCR system aims to seamlessly connect Clark, Pampanga and Calamba City, Laguna. It will also reduce travel time from Metro Manila to its neighboring provinces from 4-4.5 hours to just less than two hours. (DOTr)
During the contract signing of the South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP) on July 13, PBBM said that the government anticipates the generation of approximately 3,000 jobs once civil works for the sections begin.
Meanwhile, Calamba City Mayor Roseller Rizal believes that the railway project will usher in new economic opportunities for the city and will provide convenience to the riding public and tourists.
In his State of the City Address on July 21, Rizal committed to support the NSCR and pledged cooperation with the national government to address the residents’ need for relocation.
“Nagkaroon tayo ng kasunduan with the national government. Sinigurado nating may disenteng paglalagakan ang mahigit kumulang 4,000 pamilyang maaapektuhan nito. Matibay tayo at hindi matitinag sa ating sinabing “no demolition without relocation,” the Mayor said.
He added: “Ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan ang higit na mahalaga kaysa anumang bagay at sinisiguro po natin na kung anuman pong masisirang mga facilities ng city government of Calamba ay mababayaran, maibabalik, o maire-relocate sa tamang panahon at sa tamang imprastraktura.”
The President earlier acknowledged the concerns of informal settler families who will be directly affected by the construction of the railway system, but ensured the national government’s coordination with the local governments to ensure families needing assistance are attended to.
“These are the inevitable consequences of these large projects, but it is something that we have to go through if we are going to complete the projects as they have been designed and we will – to be able to reap the benefits in the longer term,” the President added. (CH/PIA-Laguna)
