The Philippines is reaching out to India and other international partners to secure financing for the Mindanao Railway Project, following the withdrawal of earlier financial support from China.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez confirmed that the possibility of Indian investment for both the Mindanao Railway and the Bicol South Long Haul Project was discussed during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official visit to India early this September. “We’re trying to pitch the projects,” Lopez told reporters on the sidelines of the EJAP Infrastructure Forum 2026. He noted that government-to-government financing remains the government’s preferred funding model.
Aside from India, the government is also engaging multilateral institutions and other international lenders—including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, various export-import banks, and France—as potential partners for the initiative.
The Mindanao Railway stands as the country’s first railway system outside Luzon and a cornerstone of the national infrastructure program. Its P81.6-billion Phase 1 spans 100.2 kilometers with eight stations, projected to serve 122,000 passengers daily and cut travel time between Tagum City and Digos City from three hours to just one hour.
When fully completed, the 1,544-kilometer network will link key Mindanao provinces—including Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Cotabato, Zamboanga, Butuan, Surigao, and Malaybalay. Improved connectivity is expected to significantly boost trade, mobility, and inclusive growth across the region, acting as a powerful engine for Mindanao’s long-awaited economic expansion.
