The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced Thursday the successful acquisition of right-of-way (ROW) in six critical areas from Calumpit, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga, aimed at accelerating the completion of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System.
Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the move is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to fast-track the delivery of efficient and reliable transport infrastructure. The newly cleared ROW areas include Clark International Airport, SM Clark, and various barangays in Angeles City, San Fernando, Apalit, and Calumpit.
Construction of the Malolos Station is also nearing completion, Lopez added.
Lopez credited the strong support of local government units in Pampanga and Bulacan, and praised the efforts of the DOTr’s Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition (ROWSA) team, led by Assistant Secretary IC Calaguas.
The DOTr aims to complete all ROW requirements for the NSCR’s northern section (Malolos to Clark) by mid-2026. For the southern section, ROW acquisition for nine stations—from Biñan to Sta. Mesa—is targeted by December 2025, along with utility relocation and Banlic Depot development, which is already 98 percent complete.
The NSCR, with a total project cost of P873.6 billion, is the Philippines’ largest infrastructure project financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), co-financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Once fully operational, the 147-km railway will serve up to 800,000 passengers daily and create 350,000 jobs.
