SEVERAL Singaporean and global private firms have expressed interest in investing in the Philippines’ railway sector following a market sounding activity in Singapore organized by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Infrastructure Asia and the International Finance Corp.
The event pitched three public-private partnership (PPP) opportunities: the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Operations and Maintenance Project; the Light Rail Transit Line 2 Rehabilitation, Operations and Maintenance Project; and the Metro Manila Subway Operations and Maintenance Project.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the Philippines lags behind its Asean neighbors in railway length per million population, with demand for mass transit in Metro Manila far outpacing supply.
“The gap between where we are and where we need to be is not a matter of demand. It is a matter of investment and delivery,” he said, adding that closing even part of the rail density gap represents one of the largest infrastructure investment opportunities in Southeast Asia.
Ongoing projects include the Metro Manila Subway Project, the North-South Commuter Railway, and a JICA- and ADB-supported 30-year Railway Master Plan for the Greater Capital Region.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said partnering with the private sector is key to building a railway system Filipinos deserve.
“The Philippines is at a critical point in its infrastructure journey. We are finally seeing long-standing plans become operational systems, and we are committed to doing it right,” he said.
