An official of the Department of Transportation (DoTr) bared that the right of way (ROW) acquisition for the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) Tagum-Davao-Digos (TDD) segment is progressing in all designated areas except for Davao City and Panabo City which is hounded by funding constraints.
In a letter sent to Secretary Leo Tereso A. Magno, chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino assured that the acquisition of ROW remains a top priority to ensure that construction can commence seamlessly once project funding source has been resolved.
Regino added that any assistance from all agencies in securing the necessary funds for ROW acquisition would be immensely beneficial and greatly appreciated as it would help overcome current obstacles and expedite the project timeline.
“Efforts are underway to identify and secure potential funding sources to finance the completion of the MRP. A multi-faceted approach is being employed, exploring various avenues for funding source, including government allocations, public-private partnerships, and multilateral funding,” Regino said.
The feasibility study for the MRP is currently being updated, which may include the potential integration of a freight line to maximize the project’s overall benefits.
“By incorporating a freight line, the railway could significantly boost the region’s economic activity, providing a more comprehensive transportation solution that serves both passenger and commercial needs,” Regino said.
It can be recalled DoTr announced that it needs to finalize the feasibility study of the project.
Meanwhile, Magno said DoTr is looking for a new group that will come up with a feasibility study.
“Citing two reasons, one the model that was used during the 2019 study is already outdated. It involves two things one it was only a passenger train that was included in the MRP kailangan may freight train because it is equally important, the transport of goods. What good is a Mindanao railway system if there is no tram that will transport goods? Kailangan isali din yun. Kailangan din two-track yan and should be electric,” Magno said.
The MRP is among the eight projects in the Infrastructure Flagship Project (IFP) list in Davao Region endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC 11).
The first phase is a 102-kilometer TDD segment covering 100 kilometers with eight railway stations and two depots.
With an estimated total cost of approximately P81.7 billion, the project aims to reduce travel time between Tagum City and Digos City from three hours to an hour.
Magno previously confirmed that MRP is still a go as well as the implementation of the other big-ticket projects in Mindanao.
