MANILA – Railways will play key role in obtaining economic targets once the proposed Greater Capital Region (GCR) pushes through, the Philippine National Railways (PNR) said on Wednesday.
"According to studies, the GCR to be an engine of growth should have its inhabitants living 55 minutes away to where they work. So knowing that, that is the objective of GCR, railway is a key to obtain those economic targets of the GCR and that’s where PNR comes in," PNR General Manager Junn B. Magno said in the weekly economic briefing in Malacañang.
Magno said the proposed GCR will be composed of the Greater Manila Area, Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4-A or Calabarzon.
“That’s horizon project can take around 10 to 15 years to have that. Pero umpisahan na namin iyong studies ngayon (But we have to start now our studies),” Magno said.
He said the planned North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) would make travelling on the 150-kilometer GCR intercity faster with the ride lasting about 55 minutes.
"It will span from Calamba, through Parañaque, Makati, Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac and especially the new developments in Clark, New Clark City and kung mayroon pang ma-develop na new business districts (if there will be future business districts to be developed)," he said on the planned railway.
He also mentioned the railway from Sucat, Paranaque to Matnog, Sorsogon which will lessen travel time to four hours.
"PNR is also embarking/rehabilitating its own right of way all the way to Sorsogon. Although we have serviced all the way lang to Legazpi, we are rehabilitating and creating a new line called South Long Haul," he said.
"Naga will just take three hours, it would compete with the airline services actually. And the new central station will be interconnected with NSCR and it will be located in the old power plant in Sucat," he added.
PNR earlier requested the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for a feasibility study on the planned Cabanatuan-Makati Line or the North-East Commuter Line, as part of the process for getting the final nod on the project, aimed at improving transportation in the GCR. (PNA)
