DOTr, Chinese joint venture , tinintahan ang P142-billion contract para sa PNR Bicol project

NILAGDAAN ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) at isang joint venture ng tatlong Chinese companies ang multibillion-peso contract para sa pagtatayo ng first package ng Philippine National Railways South Long Haul project (PNR Bicol).

Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ng DOTr na pinirmahan ni Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, noong Enero 17 ang “single largest rail contract” kasama ang joint venture ng China Railway Group Ltd., China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group Co. Ltd., at China Railway Engineering Consulting Group Co. Ltd. (CREC JV) para sa PNR Bicol project’s first 380 kilometers mula Banlic, Calamba papuntang Daraga, Albay.

Ang P142-billion Design-Build contract ay para sa “design, construction, and electromechanical works” para sa proyekto.

“The first 380 kilometers of PNR Bicol from Banlic, Calamba to Daraga, Albay will span 39 cities and municipalities, four provinces, and two regions, ” ayon sa DOTr.

“The contract will involve the construction of 23 stations, 230 bridges, 10 passenger tunnels, and a 70 hectare depot in San Pablo, Laguna,” dagdag na pahayag nito.

Sa Facebook post, sinabi ni Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian na ang kontrata sa pagitan ng DOTr at CREC JV ay “so far the highest-funded G-to-G (government-to-government) project between our two countries.”

Sinabi ng DOTr na ang CREC JV ay kasama sa listahan ng Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges at nasa ranked 35th sa Fortune Global 500 list at panglima naman sa China’s top 500 enterprises noong 2021.

Ang PNR Bicol Project ay isa sa flagship projects ng Duterte Administration sa ilalim ng “Build, Build, Build” program.

Sinabi pa rin ng DOTr na ang PNR Bicol ay mayroong 565 kilometer railway, nagdudugtong sa Kalakhang Maynila patungong southern Luzon provinces ng Sorsogon at Batangas.

“Once fully operational, it will cut travel time between Metro Manila and Bicol from the current 12 hours by road to as short as four hours,” ayon sa DOTr sabay sabing “passenger trains will run at a speed of up to 160 kilometers per hour, while freight trains will run at a speed of up to 100 kilometers per hour.”

“During construction, the project is expected to generate more than 5,000 direct jobs per year,” dagdag na pahayag nito.

Samantala, inaprubahan naman ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board ang pagpopondo ng PNR Bicol project sa pamamagitan ng ODA mula China.  (Daris Jose)