The Department of Transportation (DoTr) is getting ready to conduct a feasibility study for a Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway to establish a logistics corridor in Luzon.
During a recent business forum, Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan disclosed that the feasibility study for the rail system is being prepared.
This followed after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his July 22 State of the Nation Address touched on the 11 April 2024 trilateral summit in Washington, D.C. between himself, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“We are presently readying the feasibility study for Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Rail,” Batan said adding that the massive project will be a joint initiative with the US, Sweden, and the Asian Development Bank.
He noted that the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway will connect Subic Port with Clark International Airport, Port of Manila, and Port of Batangas.
Financial issues
Due to financial acquisition issues, the Subic-Clark Railway did not materialize, leading to a new study on a longer Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Rail line.
“Our Subic-Clark Railway project unfortunately we did not get the financing we expected and that’s why when we studied it again we thought of making it Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas,” Batan said.
“The logistics corridor that we are building will not only be able to connect our port in Subic and our airport in Clark and then we will reach the Port of Manila and the Port of Batangas,” he added.
The Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas railway is a flagship project under the Luzon Economic Corridor, which aims to improve connectivity between Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas in the Philippines.
The 250-kilometer project connects two ports, the one in Subic and the other one in Batangas, passing through Metro Manila.