SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna (PIA) - The Department of Transportation (DOTr) broke ground on October 11, 2023, for the housing resettlement sites intended for affected families of the Philippine National Railway (PNR) South Long Haul Project.

A total of 9,890 households will be built in identified sites in San Pablo City, Laguna, Lucena City, and the towns of Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, and Pagbilao in Quezon Province.

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, who led the groundbreaking ceremonies, emphasized the need for affected families to have a decent and safe place to live.

"We need to relocate the informal settlers who will be affected by the construction of the railway system. It will ensure the safe operation of our trains once we relocate you to a better place. At the same time, your quality of life will improve. You will have better, clean, and decent housing," he said.

The transportation secretary guaranteed the beneficiaries that the relocation houses will be livable and comfortable, as they have allocated sufficient budget for the project.

“We will transfer you to a beautiful and well-planned resettlement area. We will provide excellent facilities, and we assure you that the DOTr will allocate the necessary funds to complete this project," he said.

National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Joeben Tai pledged support to the government's initiative to provide people with homes that will contribute to their success and growth.

“The NHA will continue to collaborate with various government agencies, local governments, and the private sector to ensure the smooth implementation of housing projects towards the development of your community. May these houses serve as an instrument for our beneficiaries to improve their way of living," Tai said.

Construction of the housing units began on September 3, 2023 while turn over to beneficiaries is expected in 2024.

The South Haul Project is part of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System of the PNR. It is a 33-station, 577-kilometer railway system connecting Manila and Legazpi City, which will significantly reduce travel time from 14 to 18 hours to 6 hours using regular commuter trains and 4.5 hours using the line's express trains. (AM/PIA IV-A with reports from DOTr)