The Department of Transportation (DOTr) confirmed Wednesday that the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) program remains on schedule, as another key rolling stock unit arrived in the Philippines.
The third eight-car Electric Multiple Unit trainset for the Malolos–Tutuban segment has cleared arrival and is now undergoing Bureau of Customs import procedures, ahead of transfer to the Malanday Depot in Valenzuela City. Procured from Japan Transport Engineering Co. and Sumitomo Corp. under Contract Package 03 for the project’s rolling stock, the unit follows strict quality and safety standards set for the national transit backbone.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez reaffirmed the project’s momentum, noting the delivery aligns with the administration’s push to accelerate infrastructure rollout. “The President’s directive is to speed up NSCR construction, and with this milestone, we stay on track for on-time delivery,” Lopez said. “Every trainset has passed rigorous checks to ensure safe, efficient service for all commuters.”
A fourth trainset is scheduled to arrive in October 2026, continuing the build-out of the system ahead of the planned partial operations between Valenzuela and Malolos, Bulacan, in the fourth quarter of 2027. Spanning 147 kilometers from Valenzuela to Clark, Pampanga, with 35 stations when fully completed, the NSCR will link Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon as a critical regional transport backbone.
For commuters, the line will cut travel time between Clark, Pampanga, and Calamba, Laguna, from four hours to just two, offering a faster, more reliable alternative to crowded roadways. Once fully operational, the railway is projected to serve around 800,000 passengers daily, substantially easing congestion and improving connectivity across one of the country’s busiest corridors.
