DAVAO CITY (PIA) -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Finance (DoF) to look for new financing sources to implement the 103-kilometer Mindanao Railway Project Phase 1.

“The same sensitivity to emerging trends and best practices should define our pivot to commuter and commuter-friendly transport systems. That is why I am ordering the Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Finance to work in tandem to explore financing sources for the 103-kilometer Tagum-Davao-Digos Railway,” President Marcos Jr. said in his speech at the 125th anniversary of the DOTr held in Davao City on February 7.

“I have been briefed that financing railway models can be creatively packaged in a hybrid way with each component of the project undertaken, underwritten by different stakeholders,” the chief executive said.

He cited that while civil works can be tendered to private investors, rolling stocks can be shouldered by official development assistance with the project right-of-way as a deliverable by the government.

One of these sites is the Tagumpay Train Village in Tagum City, which will have 248 houses ona 4.2-hectare property.

The DOTr has also committed to looking into right-of-way complaints in the updating of the feasibility study for the MRP.

“If the project right of way will affect the subdivision, first we are already conducting the updated feasibility study, and we will again review the alignment. If it cannot be realigned, we will go to the process of just compensation, so just compensation will include consultation with the stakeholders, as well as third party appraisers, who will take into consideration the market value. There will be no utilization of resources without the just compensation,” said DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino.

During the  town hall meeting, Housing Department Regional Director Miguel Palma Gil revealed that they have 28 complainants regarding the MRP right of way and there are already housing constructions on subdivision projects where the railway will pass through. (RGA/PIA Davao)