# Philippine National Railway (PNR) extending South and North of Manila



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

The San Pablo Laguna to Manila PNR station opened up last Saturday and now they are working on extending south to the Bicol region, it's set to finish in 2025 so a ways off but for sure some relief to our Expats living in the Bicol region like Sorsogon City. link to story

And recently they opened up a line from the North linking Clark-Manila-Calamba Laguna. Facebook link


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> And recently they opened up a line from the North linking Clark-Manila-Calamba Laguna. Facebook link


I think you will find they haven't started building it yet.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Gary D said:


> I think you will find they haven't started building it yet.


I think you're right, I didn't read all the way through. The line from San Pablo Laguna to Manila is open for those that are a little South of Manila.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> I think you're right, I didn't read all the way through. The line from San Pablo Laguna to Manila is open for those that are a little South of Manila.


The usual lack of joined up thinking. Yes great to build a rail line from Manila to Clark with it's nice new terminal but then they are building a new Manila international airport in Bulacan which looks as though it will be served by an extension of the skyway with the new rail line passing close by. I guess because the new airport is being built by San Miguel who also built the Skyway they want to keep it all to themselves. A bit like you have to have two rfd tags, one for NLEX etc and another for Skyway so SM can keep all the cast in their own bank.


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## magsasaja (Jan 31, 2014)

M.C.A. said:


> I think you're right, I didn't read all the way through. The line from San Pablo Laguna to Manila is open for those that are a little South of Manila.


The line from San Pablo to Lucena is open. San Pablo to Manila is still a few months, years away.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

magsasaja said:


> The line from San Pablo to Lucena is open. San Pablo to Manila is still a few months, years away.


I really don't want to travel toward Lucena. I guess you're right, the railway heading north to Manila won't be finished either until 2025.


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## amcan13 (Sep 28, 2021)

I heard they wanted to start the rail project around mindanao but they could find any bidders for the contract. Will the train be just another slow moving target for the NPA?


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

amcan13 said:


> I heard they wanted to start the rail project around mindanao but they could find any bidders for the contract. Will the train be just another slow moving target for the NPA?


 Why would NPA attack trains?? Except if there will be transports of salaries to military or police  

The only I have heared ever got attacked by NPA are mines, military, police and a few civiliance they found behaving very bad. .
I know of ONE exception - Soon after Yolanda ALL aid went to Tacloban, I guess because media had shown Tacloban had got hit hard and media where there, 
although there were others parts hit hard too, but nothing. Then NPA made a calm highjack of an aid transport and gave it to the others.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

amcan13 said:


> I heard they wanted to start the rail project around mindanao but they could find any bidders for the contract. Will the train be just another slow moving target for the NPA?


I remember hearing about a rail project also in Mindanao, I hope that happens.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*China 'backed out' of funding three railway projects, says DOTr exec*

By TED CORDERO, GMA News

*Published *July 15, 2022 3:20pm
*Updated *July 15, 2022 5:09pm

The Chinese government did not act on the Duterte administration’s request for loan financing for three major railway projects, therefore it is considered withdrawn and has to be renegotiated by the current government, a top official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday.
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"Ang totoo niyan sa usapang diretso nag-back out ang China. Umatras ang China to fund the Calamba to Bicol, to fund the Tagum-Davao-Digos, to fund Clark to Subic,” Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez told reporters on the sidelines of a press briefing in Pasay City.
(The truth is, China backed out. China backed out in funding the Calamba to Bicol, to fund the Tagum-Davao-Digos, and to fund Clark to Subic.)

Full story:

China backs out of funding railway projects


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*DOTr says talks about transport projects with China will restart*

By MEL MATTHEW DOCTOR, GMA News
*Published *August 14, 2022 12:18pm


The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Sunday that it has agreed with the Chinese Embassy in Manila to restart negotiations for major transportation projects in the country.

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Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian had their first meeting on Thursday, August 11, the DOTr said.

“The two officials discussed resumption of talks for the major China-funded railway projects such as the PNR South Long Haul Project (North-South Commuter Railway), Subic-Clark Railway and Mindanao Railway (Tagum-Davao-Digos),” the department wrote on Facebook.

Earlier, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez said the Chinese government did not act on the Duterte administration’s request for loan financing for three major railway projects, therefore these were considered withdrawn and have to be renegotiated by the present government.

Chavez said that the Duterte administration’s National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the three railway projects to be funded by official development assistance (ODA) loans from China.

However, the negotiations that began in 2018 failed to prosper because China did not act on the Philippine government’s requests for funding.


Also, Chavez said that President Bongbong Marcos ordered them to renegotiate the loan agreements for the three railway projects, noting that as a matter of policy, the government should encourage more investments in railways.

The Chinese Embassy earlier said that it has been negotiating infrastructure project "technical issues" with the Philippines, stressing that it has made "positive progress to move the projects forward."

*Other projects*

Meanwhile, the DOTr and the Embassy also tackled China-Philippines Maritime Cooperation Projects during the meeting.

Among these projects are the hotline communication and legal affairs cooperation arrangements between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the China Coast Guard; possible collaboration on Maritime Traffic Safety, Ferry Safety; a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Maritime Search and Rescue; and the capacity building for maritime governance, safety supervision, and vessels safety inspection.

“The Chinese government’s funding support for these projects will serve to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance the partnership between the Philippines and China,” the department said. *—LBG, GMA News DOTr says talks about transport projects with China will restart*


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Do they realise tbey are selling the country to China.


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## grahamw57 (May 27, 2018)

_“The Chinese government’s funding support for these projects will serve to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance the partnership between the Philippines and China'_

Oh, and ownership of RP by China...those nice people who build illegal bases on your islands and chase your people away from them. 

Crazy. 🥴

Here's the PNR line when I lived in Bicol.... and yes, 2 trains a day ran on it. 😬
.
(My pic)
.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

what fuel are they using to drive the locomotives? I hope it isn't coal!!!

art


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

This is back in work again but a lengthy timeline for completion.

CALAMBA, Laguna — (UPDATE) The Philippines signed with the Asian Development Bank on Thursday contracts for the construction of a railway project in Southern and Central Luzon which is touted as the country’s “largest railway line.”

The ADB said it signed four civil works contracts totaling $1.87 billion for the South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP).

The SCRP is part of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway Project, which will have 35 stations and 3 depots, and is expected to cut travel time from Calamba, Laguna to the Clark International Airport to less than 2 hours, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

The project, which will lay nearly 55 kilometers of railway segment to connect Metro Manila with Laguna province, is being financed with $4.3 billion in loans approved by ADB in June 2022," the multilateral lender said.

The SCRP, which will have 18 stations, will provide affordable, safe, and fast public transport, help ease road traffic congestion, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ADB said.

It will also connect to the future Metro Manila Subway system.

Here's the status of the Metro Manila Subway according to DOTr

“This project will open tremendous opportunities for economic integration across Metro Manila and neighboring provinces and create a significant positive impact on the local economy,” said ADB Deputy Director General for Southeast Asia Winfried Wicklein during the contract signing ceremony held at the Jose Rizal Monument in Calamba City.

“This ambitious railway project will bring back the culture of railway in the Philippines,” Bautista said.

It will provide a “safe, affordable and convenient transport for Filipinos while accelerating our economic rebound,” Bautista added.

The railway project is expected to cater to 600,000 passengers daily, according to data from the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Construction will begin in February 2023, while full operations are expected to start in 2029.

Some 110,000 direct and indirect jobs will be generated from this project, the Transportation chief said.

The project will be funded by loans from the ADB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the construction of the project shows that his administration is “serious about pursuing large infrastructure structures [sic] to foster growth… despite the shocks the world situation has brought to the Philippines.”

We welcome this development at the time when we are going… full speed ahead towards modernization and our transport system and we are reclaiming our lives from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is what all of this truly means,” he said.

Countries largest railway


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## grahamw57 (May 27, 2018)

Sounds marvellous 

Oh, and talking of the new Manila subway project...first pics of the 'rolling stock' : 
.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

Is there a train going from Manila/Makati to Dasmarinas/Luzon ?


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Mentioned this before Howard, google will be your best friend.



trains to Dasmarinas/Luzon ? - Google Search



Cheers, Steve.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

There is a bus from Makati to Dasmarinas


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

It's interesting but not unusual here. 
Why not repair what is already there? Wiped out lines and bridges some 9 years ago with:



typhoon yolanda - Google Search



Ben was a train driver with PNR and regularly did the run from Manila to Naga and I believe the line went further south to Legazbi. After the typhoon it looked like he would lose his job but having 2 years in IT prior to PNR landed a job within their treasury.
Apparently there was no money to repair lines and bridges back then. But now?

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Howard_Z said:


> There is a bus from Makati to Dasmarinas


Said it before, google will be your best friend, God helps those that help themselves.

Cheers, Steve.


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## magsasaja (Jan 31, 2014)

Howard_Z said:


> Is there a train going from Manila/Makati to Dasmarinas/Luzon ?


No.

I think there was one proposed over a decade ago, but things move slowly in the Philippines.
Did you try the LRT train when you visited? I haven't for many years and i doubt i will ever again, as it was overcrowded, slow and always late.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

I stayed 6 weeks in Makati, 1 km from PRA who was holding my passport.
Did not want to travel far from my passport.

One day, through the hotel manager, I had a driver drive me to Dasmarinas to look around for 2 hours.
Visited a Robinson's grocery store (I'd say not as good as Landmark, but still pretty good).
I am sure I overpaid, but I was told the driver will protect me if needed.

So, searching the internet I found this (for a future visit)




__





Rome2rio


Discover how to get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes




www.rome2rio.com





I really liked Makati, but for the price of a studio condominium in Makati, I can buy a house (lease the land) in Dasmarinas and other cities east of there. And I can still have occasional shopping trips to Makati/Manila.


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## magsasaja (Jan 31, 2014)

Howard_Z said:


> I stayed 6 weeks in Makati, 1 km from PRA who was holding my passport.
> Did not want to travel far from my passport.
> 
> One day, through the hotel manager, I had a driver drive me to Dasmarinas to look around for 2 hours.
> ...


There is a Landmark at Festival Mall and it’s not that far from Dasmarines. 
I agree that south east is the way to go if your looking for cheaper housing and fresh air. Also the commute to Manila isn’t too far. 
Next to Dasmarines there is Nuvali Nuvali - Where People and Nature Thrive | An Ayala Land Estate
Has all the amenities you want without the hustle bustle of Manila. 
Why would the driver need to protect you?


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Magsasaja makes a great point Howard and he mentions "Nuvali" Here's the information on Nuvali also known as Sta Rosa Laguna, I had recommended this area before to you.

*Location*
NUVALI is located in the cities of Sta. Rosa, Calamba and the Municipality of Cabuyao in Laguna, part of the growth corridor of the CALABARZON Region.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I wonder if the trains will only run once they are full.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Good point Gary and one of the reasons they didn't bother to rebuild, less and less passengers made it unviable and after the typhoon and flooding that destroyed a lot of infrastructure, an easy way out.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

bigpearl said:


> Good point Gary and one of the reasons they didn't bother to rebuild, less and less passengers made it unviable and after the typhoon and flooding that destroyed a lot of infrastructure, an easy way out.
> 
> OMO.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Plus the years of no and poor maintenance, there's that word again, maintenance. I'll go and wash my mouth out.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Or a teaspoon of cement. Harden up princess. I hear you as all do living here Gary. A lot like never servicing your car and when it breaks down it's all tears. Wo is me.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Gary D said:


> Plus the years of no and poor maintenance, there's that word again, maintenance. I'll go and wash my mouth out.


 Does Tagalog have a word for "maintainance" ? 
It seem very few Filipinos do maintain. . A sign of that is in several car sale adds they say "new oil" as if thats a big sell argument! I see it more as a MINUS because thats a sign they normaly DONT maintain...


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