The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) welcomed another milestone in the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in the unveiling of the first trainset held on March 18.

In the same event, the contract for another 304 train cars for commuter rolling stocks for the NSCR Extension Project awarded by DOTr to the Joint Venture of Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-TREC) was also signed.

The first trainset is a part of the 104 train cars procured for NSCR project that will serve the increasing number of commuters between Bulacan and Manila.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to ease the daily commuting experience of the riding public and will further enhance the north-south infrastructure backbone in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

The combined projects of NSCR and NSCR Extension from Clark International Airport all the way to Calamba is expected to boost the Philippine public transportation capacity in the long-term, while attracting investments and creating jobs.

JICA Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema has proudly shared that the safety and reliability feature of rolling stocks is one of main reasons why NSCR is called “Quality Infrastructure project.”

The NSCR is one of the projects that JICA has been supporting under Build Build Build program to help sustain economic growth in the Philippines.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) estimates that the Build Build Build program will help increase infrastructure investments to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio up to 7 percent level, and help drive the economy. JICA Philippines