Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade (second from left) leads the groundbreaking for the PNR Clark Phase 1 of the North South Commuter Railway Extension Project in Malolos, Bulacan. (Contributed photo)
CLARK FREEPORT — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Sunday confirmed it has held pre-bidding for the Malolos City-Clark segment of the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, which will connect Manila to the Clark International Airport in less than an hour.
Held last March 7, the pre-bid conference covered three civil works contract packages of what is also called Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark, the DOTr said in a statement.
The pre-bid event was done almost a month after the state agency held a groundbreaking rite for the 38-kilometer Tutuban-Malolos segment last Feb. 15.
The three contracts in PNR Clark cover 44.8 kms and 5 stations up to this US military base-turned-freeport.
At least 21 companies from seven member-countries of the Asian Development Bank and representatives from four embassies attended the pre-bid that provided a venue for interested bidders to seek clarifications on the bidding documents launched last Jan. 30.
DOTr said the ADB would finance the civil works contracts via open competitive bidding.
Two more civil works contracts, also to be funded by ADB, shall be launched by the second quarter of 2019.
The contracts for the electromechanical systems and trains, to be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, will be launched after that.
DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan called for trust and support, saying the instruction of President Duterte and Secretary Arthur Tugade is to “deliver a more comfortable life to every Filipino.”
PNR Clark Phase 2 will feature the country’s first airport express railway service, which will connect passengers from Manila to Clark International Airport in less than an hour.
The NSCR System integrates the Tutuban-Malolos segment, the Malolos-Clark segment, and the Manila-Calamba segment, connecting 26 cities and municipalities across Luzon, according to DOTr. /je