MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) have conducted a joint briefing and inspection of Clark Station and key facilities of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) extension project in Pampanga.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto was accompanied by DOTr officials, led by Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan and Irish Calaguas, assistant secretary for Right of Way Acquisition for Rail and Road.
Standing at 87.34 percent overall progress as of August 2026, Contract Package N-04 of the North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR-Ex) Project covers crucial civil engineering and construction works for approximately 6.5 kilometers of railway track structure, featuring the country's first modern underground station at Clark International Airport (CRK), the DOTr said.
Specifically, Clark Station is now at 73.29 percent progress, Batan said.
Batan said the contract included an elevated viaduct and bridges, an underground tunnel leading directly to the airport station, and at-grade access to the main NSCR depot.
Reaffirming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s priority to expedite key national transport infrastructure, DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez emphasized that seamless collaboration among agencies and stakeholders is vital to completing the rail line.
"The President has said that this project must be finished. This is not simply for the DOTr but this is for the entire Filipino people," Lopez stressed.
"We need our contractors, consultants, and the DOTr to work in lockstep with our LGUs (local government units) and local leaders. Strong LGU collaboration is vital in resolving site challenges smoothly, ensuring local community support, and keeping construction unhindered from start to finish," he added.
Highlighting the features and timelines of the project, Batan said one of the key elements was its airport express service.
"So we are buying 51 eight-car trainsets. On top of that, we will also have seven airport express trains that will run up to 160 kph, connecting our Clark Airport to Makati non-stop in 55 minutes. That is our target," the DOTr undersecretary revealed.
"Currently, we are on track for our first partial operations by the end of 2027. That's the first 28 kilometers, seven stations, from Valenzuela to Malolos. After Malolos, an additional 53 kilometers to Clark by the second half of 2028. And one of the first segments that will be finished is this Clark Station going to Angeles City," Batan added.
Emphasizing the strategic role of the NSCR in driving regional economic development, Recto cited the project's impact as a vital logistics backbone.
"All of this spans 147 kilometers. It's a major infrastructure, major logistics infrastructure for the Luzon Economic Corridor. That is very important. We need an additional leg in our stool, so to speak, for our economy," Recto said.
"We need to develop more manufacturing capabilities. We have semiconductor companies that want to relocate here to Clark and across the entire Luzon Economic Corridor," according to the top Palace official.
On project execution and funding, Recto assured that the administration was actively addressing past implementation bottlenecks under the President's directive, with full financial backing to expedite construction and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of the project.
"We are on the right track. There was a slight delay in the past, and the President is keeping a close eye on this so that we can finish on time," said Recto, a former senator.
Upon completion, the NSCR-Ex Project is projected to decongest major roadways, lower commuting costs, and deliver a reliable, comfortable transit experience for everyday commuters and workers., the transportation department said.
