Senator Joel Villanueva hailed the construction of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark project linking Tutuban in Divisoria, Manila, to the City of Malolos in his home province of Bulacan.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Advance Construction Mobilization for Phase I of the Clark railway at an open area in Maria Socorro, Marilao, Bulacan.
“Sa wakas, mayroon nang ‘Train to Bulacan’ at malaking ginhawa po ito sa ating mga kababayan sa Gitnang Luzon higit lalo sa minamahal nating mga Bulakenyo,” Villanueva said.
“The construction of Clark Railway increases connectivity within Metro Manila and the Central Region. Not only will this afford convenience to our commuters but will also improve economic activity in the area,” the legislator added.
With this project in line, commuters from Tutuban will reach Malolos in 35 minutes.
The lawmaker, an advocate of job creation, further underscored how the railway project can strengthen the economy and generate employment.
“Ang pinakamagandang magiging bunga po ng “Build, Build, Build” ay “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”. Dala po ng tren na ito ay trabaho. Dala po ng tren na ito ay negosyo. Dala po ng tren na ito ay progreso,” he said.
“Higit pa riyan, makatutulong din po ang tren na ito upang mabawasan ang congestion at mapagaan ang traffic sa Metro Manila,” the senator from Bulacan added.
The rail system will be constructed along the 38-kilometer segment from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan. It will have 10 stations and is expected to service around 340,000 passengers daily.
In November last year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) took a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to finance the north-south commuter railway project’s Tutuban-Malolos component.
The Tutuban to Malolos segment is targeted to be partially completed by 2020 and fully operational by 2021.