HUGE amounts have been pledged to our country as a result of the
president's official visits to Japan, Russia, China, and other nations.
Official development assistance ranging from millions of dollars to as
much as multi-million dollars have been dangled for our acceptance
in order to fund ambitious infrastructure projects the country badly
needs.
It seems it is the Department of Transportation (DOTr), which takes
the lead in availing of the aforesaid funding. It has reportedly started
marking the sites for the huge Manila-Clark commuter railway project
costing a staggering P205 billion! This ambitious project will traverse
Marilao and Meycauayan in Bulacan, Valenzuela, Caloocan and Tutuban
in Manila and on to parts of Pampanga till Clark, involving 106
kilometers connecting Tutuban, Manila on to Clark in Pampanga.
On June 26, five of the 17 stations needed for the commuter railway
project have been marked. Twelve more stations need to be marked
and these are: Solis, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, Malolos, Calumpit
Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, Clark International Airport and
on to the proposed Clark Green City.
Imagine the problem of right-of-way, which used to be the bane of the old railway system but spans have been virtually erased because structures have been erected thereon.
Reports say the construction schedule of the project will begin on the
last quarter of 2017 and envisioned to be completed by the last
quarter of 2021 if, and this is a big if, plans do not miscarry due to
some political reasons or grandstanding of some government officials.
As usual, the project will be funded by the Official Development
Assistance (ODA) from Japan and the Detailed Engineering Design
will be done through the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
***
There are similar railway projects in the planning stage which, when
completed, will significantly decongest Metro Manila and provide
easier travel to residents of this crowded metropolis. These are the
PNR South (Manila to Los Banos to Bicol), Mindanao Railway,
MRT 7, LRT2 East Extension and LRT1 Cavite Extension. These projects
with some undergoing construction already, will lessen the travel woes
of commuters daily.
As it is, images of residents and workers lining up to the MRT and
LRT stations daily only shows their misery and inconvenience they
have to go through. Such is the very sorry state of transportation
in Metro Manila and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade should make
good his boasts of completing the road network projects in due time
to make living in Metro Manila as comfortable as can be.
