Japan thanked for aiding PH transport modernization
TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime Bautista expressed his gratitude to Japan for economic packages and assistance in the construction and modernization of the Philippines’ railway infrastructure.
During the 14th High-Level Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure and Economic Cooperation between the two countries held in Tokyo, Bautista noted the ongoing railway projects supported financially by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“The Department of Transportation expresses its sincere gratitude to Japan’s latest economic operations package to the Philippines, consisting of official development assistance of private sector investment of 600 billion Japanese yen in Japanese fiscal years 2022-2023,” Bautista said.
“With the Metro Manila Subway, the North-South Commuter Railway and the MRT-3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance Projects now ongoing construction and implementation, the DOTr is now working on its next batch of railway cooperation projects with JICA,” he added.
Bautista noted JICA’s technical cooperation assistance for the ongoing feasibility study of the New Clark City Extension of the North-South Commuter Railway.
He bared his agency’s request for assistance for the feasibility study of the Metro Manila Subway Project’s second phase in the high-level meeting with Japanese officials.
Bautista also mentioned the “possible financing for certain components of the LRT-2 Mid-Life Rehabilitation Project, which will be explored pursuant to an ongoing LRTA-funded Feasibility Study.”
Following the recently-signed pact with the Japanese government, Bautista said the Philippine government will soon identify new railway projects for the formulation of a 30-year Railway Master Plan for the country’s Greater Capital Region.
