Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd. (SMCC) on Friday promised on-time construction with best quality of the three stations, as well as the viaduct and embankment that they will build under the North- South Commuter Railway Project.

The SMCC will construct the 13.8 kilometer viaduct and embankment sections which will cover from Bocaue to Malolos as well as three stations namely Balagtas ? Guiguinto ? Malolos.

In a chance interview after the ground-breaking ceremony in Malolos, Bulacan, SMCC managing executive director Hitoshi Yamaji told The Daily Manila Shimbun their expertise in these kind of projects will make the construction of these stations “possible”.

Yamaji said they have worked with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on a lot of projects.

“We have many experiences in the past. We are in-charge in the San Juanico bridge rehabilitation… (We have) many projects working together with DPWH. We have many experiences here, that’s why we don’t have (any) problem in executing (this project),” he said.

Yamaji said this is their current project under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Though open in handling more public infrastructure projects, Yamaji said they would like to “concentrate” in completing this project ''for the... Filipino (people).”

On Friday, the Department of Transportation, the SMCC and the Japanese government officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in Malolos for the railway project.

Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the Tutuban-Malolos project is worth P149 billion where P93 billion of it will be funded by the Japanese government.

He said P55 billion will be for the construction from Tutuban to Bocaue and the P27 billion will be from Bocaue to Malolos.

“The remaining will be for the rolling stock and train electrical,” said Batan.

An official from Japan International Cooperation Agency said the transport department has yet to finalize who will be the contractor for the remaining seven stations. Ella Dionisio/DMS