The proposed railway that will connect Metro Manila to Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) and other points in Northern Luzon might commence by next year after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the funding for the project, according to a Pampanga representative.
Pampanga 3rd district representative Oscar Rodriguez said DBM included the fund in the 2016 General Appropriations Act signed by President Benigno Aquino III on December 22.
Rodriguez said the “plans are now final, and the railway system from Metro Manila to Malolos City in Bulacan will be expanded up to the north after the BCDA (Bases Conversion and Development Authority) volunteered to construct the link from Malolos to North Luzon.”
The lawmaker added that the decision was reached during a meeting he attended with Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, BCDA president Arnel Casanova, and other officials.
The railway project is intended to link the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City to Clark International Airport (CRK) in CFZ, Pampanga.
Rodriguez did not disclose the project cost but noted that construction could start by early next year.
He quoted Casanova as saying that if the BCDA was able to build the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, “why can’t we build the northern part of that railway system?”
Rodriguez said the project will also help decongest NAIA by linking it with CRK so “inbound passengers can check in at NAIA but depart from Clark.”
“It’s going to be fast with the railway. It would also help decongest Metro Manila, which will also reduce the impact of a disaster strike,” Rodriguez added.
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