Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), on Wednesday affirmed that the Mindanao Railway Project is still a go but with modifications.
This developed after Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista announced last week that it is overhauling the entire project to prioritize the development of a modern and environment-friendly railway system after dropping Chinese funding for the MRP.
DoTr also announced that it needs to finalize the feasibility study of the project.
Bautista also said that the Mindanao Railway’s original study proposed the use of diesel-powered trains.
“The Mindanao Railway Project is still a go. The DoTR is now assessing not the viability but the applicability of the existing design that was given. Sa huling pag announce ng President nung bumisita siya sa Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte sinabi niya na tuloy ang proyekto na ito para sa Mindanao,” Magno said during Wednesdays media forum.
Magno said he even proposed that MinDA should be part of the Technical Working Group (TWG) to help monitor the progress of the project.
“Sinabi ni Presidente na gusto niyang tapusin ang proyekto at sinabi din ng DoTr na pangarap nilang matapos o maumpisahan man lang significantly ang proyekto na yan, trabaho na natin sa MinDA na seguraduhin at pupokpokin natin sila dahil tayo ang mag benefit sa proyektong ito. Kailangan tutukan natin ito dahil tayo ang mag benefit, tayo ang makikinabang nito sa Mindanao. Let’s make it our cause, gawin nating agreement, magtulungan tayo na pukpokin sila (DoTr), na mapabilis ang pagstart ng MRP,” he said.
The establishment of 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 Tagum-Davao-Digos (TDD) segment covering 100 kilometers with eight railway stations and two depots.
The project advancements include the establishment of the Tagumpay Train Village in Tagum City, a resettlement site offering 248 housing units for affected families.
With an estimated total cost of approximately P81.7 billion, the project aims to reduce travel time between Tagum and Digos City from three hours to an hour.
Meanwhile, Magno assured the implementation of the other big-ticket projects in Mindanao.
“Kaya din ako andito sa MinDA para makapagdagdag pa tayo ng proyekto para sa Mindanao. Upon the instruction of the President na umikot ka at alamin mo kung ano pang proyekto ang puwede sa Mindanao,” he said.
