The Philippine Railways Institute (PRI) marked its fifth anniversary on Tuesday. Established as a human resource development and monitoring organization for the railways, PRI aims to create a sustainable mechanism for developing high-quality operations and maintenance personnel in the rail sector.

The ceremony was attended by Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and Minister for Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan, Nihei Daisuke, along with stakeholders.

In his speech, Nihei said the Japanese government will continue to work with the DOTr and PRI to ensure the Philippine railway system meets the highest standards of safety and punctuality.

The Japanese government, through its Official Development Assistance, will continue to support major railway projects in the Philippines, including the Metro Manila Subway Project and the North-South Commuter Railway.