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Commuters board the Philippine National Railways (PNR) train coach at various stations of the Alabang-Calamba route on June 2, 2023. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA -- The entire operations of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is set to halt in December 2023.
PNR Chairman Michael Macapagal explained that the decision to stop the operation of the entire PNR stations was made to give way to the North-South Railway Projects (NSRP) of PNR and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The first wave of the project will be implemented along the stretch of Alabang, Muntinlupa to Calamba, Laguna PNR route.
On Sunday, July 2, passengers from Alabang bound to Calamba were no longer accommodated as the available train trips were from Alabang to Biñan, Laguna only, while the Biñan to Calamba train trip had already ceased operations.
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Starting July 15, all trips from this route will stop, Macapagal said.
Some 500 daily train commuters will be affected, according to PNR's management.
“Inumpisahan po namin ang maliit na stretch kasi po tinututukan namin ang magiging response ng riding public natin. Nakatutok po kami diyan, we're not deploying any buses yet pero pag nakita po namin na marami pong apektado magde-deploy po kami ng emergency buses sa mga routes na yan,” according to Macapagal.
The whole PNR operations will stop on December after the holiday rush, according to Macapagal.
To help the affected riding public, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will be issuing additional franchises to the affected routes, according to Macapagal.
“Ang LTFRB po ay magi-issue ng bagong LTFRB franchises sa mga affected routes around Metro Manila kasi po sa buong Metro Manila po ang tigil pasada po will start in December after the Christmas season, hintayin na po muna nating matapos ang traffic at 'yung shopping sa Christmas," he added.
The NSRP will run up to five to six years, according to Macapagal.
“We are currently modernizing the train system of Philippines, magkakaroon po tayo ng electric trains which will come from Clark to Pampanga, Pampanga to Bulacan, Bulacan to Metro Manila, then Metro Manila to Calamba, Laguna,” Macapagal said.
He added that the project aims at modernizing the PNR system in the country that will eventually boost economic progress.
“This entire project will include 35 stations, there are 51 new electric trains, commuter trains then about 7 or 8 express trains. These are all electric and these are at far with world standards, and these are all elevated system kaya makikita niyo bagong system natin mga 35 stations,” he said.
Meanwhile, South Long Haul Projects will also soon be implemented according to PNR.
The projects will start from Calamba, Laguna where PNR currently stops, all the way to the last town of Surigao Province.
The Philippine government, according to Macapagal, is currently in talks with another country for the South Long Haul Project.
“This will take our train system all the way to the last town of Surigao kaya Bicol, the entire Bicol region po 'yan,” he said.
Currently two countries have offered interest to build the system.
Macapagal however, refused to disclose the name of the countries.
“Once the agreement is signed between the two countries on a public-private partnership or maybe government to government or build operated transfer scheme, the Department of Transportation will issue a bulletin to inform our riding public, pero 'yan po ay tina-trabaho namin ngayon in fact were hoping na by this July matapos na yang negotiations," he said.
As of now, the south operations of PNR ends in Calamba, Laguna.
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