Construction on the Malolos–Clark Railway Project (MCRP) in the Philippines is all set to begin following the awarding of three civil works contracts with a combined price of over $1.7 billion by the Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The Malolos–Clark Railway Project is a proposed 53.1 kilometer long railway line between Malolos and Clark economic zone and Clark International Airport (CIA) in central Luzon.

The $6.1 billion project is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The first contract package of the project has been awarded to a South Korea-based joint venture between Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Dong-ah Geological Engineering and the Philippines-based Megawide Construction.

It covers the construction of nearly 17 kilometers of elevated rail viaduct, seven bridges, and a couple of railway stations.

The second contract package was won by Spain-based Acciona Construction’s local subsidiary and Daelim Industrial. It covers the construction and civil engineering works for nearly 16 kilometers of viaducts and a railway station.

On the other hand, the Italian–Thai Development Public Company won the third contract package. It will be responsible for the construction and civil engineering works for 12 kilometers of viaducts and a couple of railway stations.

So far, the DOTr has awarded five civil works contracts worth $2.5 billion. A sixth contract, which is for building the Blumentritt station of the railway line will see rebidding.

In August 2020, DOTr granted two civil works contracts of the Malolos–Clark Railway Project to a joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines and EEI, and POSCO Engineering and Construction.

Ramesh Subramaniam – ADB Director General for Southeast Asia said: “The signing of these contracts means the Malolos–Clark Railway Project construction will now go on full speed, helping the country’s economic revival over the next 12–24 months.

“When completed by 2025 based on current plans, we expect the project to benefit nearly 350,000 commuters daily.”

The Malolos–Clark Railway Project is part of the 163km-long North-South Commuter Railway project (NSCR), a transit line between New Clark City and Calamba, which is planned to be ready by 2025.

  Acciona Construction, Asian Development Bank, Clark City, Daelim Industrial, Dong-ah Geological Engineering, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Italian–Thai Development Public Company, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Malolos, Malolos–Clark Railway Project, Megawide Construction, Philippines, Philippines Department of Transportation, Ramesh Subramaniam