A RESETTLEMENT AREA for families affected by the Mindanao Railway Project in Tagum City, Davao del Norte has been offered to bidders, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said.
The project is funded by the National Government through the DoTr. The Tagum City government, the procuring entity for the project, invited interested bidders or suppliers to bid for the P114.48-million design and build contract. The deadline to submit bids was March 29, according to the invitation to bid posted on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System.
The housing project will be known as Tagumpay Train Village and will consist of 62 quadruplex housing units for families affected by the railway project.
Under the special conditions of the contract, completion of the project must be within 270 days upon receipt of the notice to proceed.
Implementation of site development work is expected to start next month.
The Mindanao Railway Project is a 1,544-kilometer railway system connecting Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Cotabato, Zamboanga, Butuan, Surigao, and Malaybalay. It is financed through official development assistance from the Chinese government.
The government awarded the P3.08-billion project management consultancy contract of the Mindanao Railway Project Phase 1 to a Chinese consortium composed of China Railway Design Corp. and Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision Co., Ltd.
The project management consultant will assist in the preparation and management of the overall project implementation program, including land acquisition activities, coordination with government offices, review of the project’s detailed design, and supervision of construction activities.
The first phase covers a 100-kilometer railway connecting Tagum in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Digos in Davao del Sur, featuring eight stations. It is expected to accommodate 122,000 passengers per day and cut travel time between Tagum and Digos from three hours to one. — Arjay L. Balinbin
