Foreign rail firms eye NSCR

Strong interest from major local and foreign railway firms is improving the outlook for the North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Operations and Maintenance (O&M) public-private partnership (PPP). 

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported on Wednesday that the high turnout at the NSCR O&M PPP pre-bid conference signals investor confidence in the project. 

“With the PPP clearance for the operations and management of the NSCR under the private sector, it shows the administration’s trust in private firms to handle the country’s biggest railway system,” Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said.

“The high turnout also displays the investors’ confidence in our government and in our economy,” he added. 

Several international railway operators said the NSCR’s scale and its potential to ease Metro Manila traffic make it a highly significant project. 

They noted that their experience in running complex rail systems could help improve service quality, reliability, and passenger safety once the line is operational.

Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the strong participation is critical as the NSCR moves beyond construction.

“The turnout of prospective bidders is very encouraging. This procurement of an operations and maintenance provider for the NSCR is critical because it is not enough for us to just build this new line. It is also very important to ensure that its operations will be properly managed,” Batan said.

“We estimate that up to one million passengers will use the NSCR once it is in full operation. And to ensure that the operations of the NSCR are convenient, efficient, and safe, we need to find and select a qualified and experienced operator. And that is what we are doing in this process,” he added.

Batan said the government is seeking operators with proven experience in managing large and complex rail networks.

The 147-kilometer NSCR will run from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna. 

Partial operations for the Valenzuela–Malolos segment are scheduled to begin in December 2027, while the Malolos–Clark segment is targeted to be operational by October 2028.