CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) have broke ground for the P73.25-billion South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP), hailed as a “game-changing rail system that will transform lives.”

"We are forging ahead, overcoming every challenge, because we know meeting the project’s deadlines will lead to a game-changing rail system that will transform lives," DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said during the groundbreaking on July 3.

Also known as the Alabang-Calamba stretch of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) system, the project involves three civil contract packages consisting of railway viaduct structures and elevated stations at Alabang and Muntinlupa, San Pedro, Pacita, Biñan, and Santa Rosa, and Cabuyao, Banlic, and Calamba.

The NSCR will have 35 stations and will run on 51 commuter train sets and seven express train sets.

A flagship project under the ‘Build Better More’ Program, the 147.26-km NSCR system aims to seamlessly connect Clark, Pampanga and Calamba, 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.

The NSCR's last three segments is part of DOTr's collaborative efforts with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), embassies of South Korea and Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), contractor Hyundai - DongAh joint venture, and the local government of Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Bautista said the mass rail transport infrastructure seeks to connect the northern and southern provinces adjacent to Metro Manila in order to provide a faster, more seamless travel to and from the metropolis.

“Residents and communities who have noticed the railway’s massive construction have pinned their hopes on a comfortable, affordable, safe and efficient commute – a striking contrast to the deteriorating road traffic that has spilled over to north and south of Metro Manila,” the transportation secretary said.

Bautista said that the existing tracks from Alabang to Calamba will be relocated to be used at the proposed 565-kilometer-long South Long-Haul project that will stretch all the way to Bicol.

He expects that the new rail infrastructure will "open the gates for the renaissance of the railway industry in the Philippines."

Starting July 2, the PNR suspended all trips for the Alabang-Calamba line to signal the commencement of the project and to meet the project’s deadline.

For passengers going to Manila, this means a temporary shift of transportation options and added transport fare.

Helen Dayon-dayon, a 68-year old frequent train passenger from Calamba, uses the train to transport her livestock goods to Blumentritt, Manila twice a month. She said that the temporary suspension of the line’s operations makes her commute less comfortable than usual.

From her train fare of P44 from Calamba to Blumentritt, she’s now going to ride a provincial bus with a fare ranging from P100-110.

“Mapipilitan [ako] na mag-bus. Mahal sa bus, malaki ang mahal, mahigit kalahati. Walang choice [kundi] magbu-bus,” Dayon-dayon said.

But she remains confident with the project, particularly on the resumption of trains going to hometown Bicol Region.

“Mas maigi iyon. Maganda kung tren, hindi mainit at hindi siksikan. Priority ang senior. Mas madali ang biyahe,” Dayon-dayon said. (CH/PIA-Laguna)