基地転換開発公社(BCDA)、Clark-Manila間鉄道調査にフィリピン鉄道(PNR)を指名

BCDA taps PNR for Clark-Metro Manila rail line study | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines

ざっくり言うと

• DOTC ー(担当許可)→ BCDA ー(計画作成指示)→ PNR
• ルソン島を大きく縦断するPNR路線を作るというアキノ大統領の壮大な計画の一部
• 特急は考えておらず、150km/hの列車により40分で結ぶ

BCDA taps PNR for Clark-Metro Manila rail line study

by Kris Bayos
December 26, 2014

 

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has allowed the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to tap the Philippine National Railways (PNR) in planning out a spur rail line that will connect Clark’s Green City to Metro Manila.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the BCDA’s plan to construct a spur line from Malolos in Bulacan to Clark in Pampanga will be incorporated in the Aquino Administration’s ambitious plan to extend the PNR’s operation up to Cagayan and Isabela in the north and Legazpi City in Albay in the south. The project is known as the P271-billion Integrated Luzon Railway (ILR) project.

“What is clear with us is that we will extend PNR all the way to Cagayan and Isabela. The feasibility study for the ILR is on-going. What we are not sure of is the spur line going to Clark because it’s going to be costly,” Abaya said.

“But BCDA came in, saying ‘DOTC, can you allow us to plan this out because we are developing Clark Green City?’ If we could tap rail going to the Green City, then it becomes viable.’ Then, we said, ‘sure why not,’” he recounted.

Although details on the planned PNR spur line going to Clark are not yet final, Abaya said it will not be a high-speed train system utilizing bullet trains.

“Definitely (it is) not (going to use) bullet train. It will still be a train running at 150 kilometers per hour but still something that will serve its purpose. Clark is about 100 kilometers away. If it travels at 150 kph, you will get there in 40 minutes. You don’t need a bullet train to get there,” Abaya explained.

Plans to connect Pampanga to Metro Manila has been long overdue. The Arroyo Administration had implemented the $593-million North Rail project in view of the government’s plan to move the country’s primary international gateway from Manila to Clark.

But the Philippine government, under the Aquino Administration, backtracked on the construction of high-speed rail going to Clark. In 2012, the Philippine and Chinese governments decided to mutually disengage from the North Rail project even after a reconfiguration of the supposed anomalous contract. The Chinese government has called off the official development assistance loan it has given to the Philippine government to fund the construction of the project.

Aside from the ILR, there is a separate plan to construct a new 89.7-kilometer mass transport system that will run along the PNR tracks from Malolos to Calamba in Laguna. Touted as the North-South Commuter Railway, the project will be offered in two components: The Malolos-Tutuban section and the Tutuban-Calamba portion.

Abaya earlier disclosed that the Japan International Cooperation Agency is interested to fund the Malolos-Tutuban component through an official development assistance loan. Meanwhile, the Tutuban-Calamba component will be offered through public-private partnership.

The Malolos-Tutuban section of the NSCR will be elevated while the Tutuban-Calamba portion will be semi-elevated, with some underground and at-grade sections. The NSCR also covers the rehabilitation of the existing tracks, reinforcement of the rail line’s foundation, and double tracking up to Calamba.

While the NSCR and the ILR are still pending for government approval, the PNR said it will repair trains to further augment the capacity of the state-owned heavy rail line. The PNR operates a daily commuter service from Tutuban in Manila to Alabang in Muntinlupa, with scheduled special trips extending to Calamba, Laguna. The interprovincial trips touted as Bicol Express remain suspended pending the safety audit of the tracks that were damaged due to a derailment incident in October, 2012. A PNR commuter service between Sipocot and Naga City is also operational.

The PNR started out as a train system founded on November 24, 1892 as the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan during the Spanish colonial period. It later became the Manila Railroad Company (MRRco) at the time the Americans colonized the Philippines, catering passengers from Manila to Dagupan.

In 1930s, the first Bicol train was put into commercial operations. During this time, the North and South railroad was inaugurated. By virtue of the Republic Act 4156 on June 20, 1964, the corporate name MRRco changed to Philippine National Railways (PNR), which was placed under the DOTC.

補足

• フィリピン国鉄 - Wikipedia
• 上記Wikipediaの「ノースレール計画」の再開調査？

日本の再生はアジアから始まる―チャイナプラスワン(ASEAN諸国、インド)の「成長トライアングル」を取り込め!