The major projects still pending at the time of the handover to the new administration include the Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension and the North-South Commuter Railway, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said on Wednesday.
The DoTr issued the list of projects in a statement after Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade briefed his successor, the new administration’s nominee for the top transport job, Jaime J. Bautista, on Tuesday.
The meeting between Mr. Tugade and Mr. Bautista, former Philippine Airlines president and chief operating officer, took place in Clark, officials said.
“(It was a) transition briefing (on) completed and ongoing projects and some other issues concerning DoTr matters for turnover, including (projects) for implementation and those that can be continued by the incoming (Secretary),” Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Chief of Staff Danjun G. Lucas said in a phone message to BusinessWorld when asked about the meeting.
The North-South Rail line has three components: the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 Project (Manila to Malolos segment); PNR Clark Phase 2 (Bulacan to Clark segment); and the PNR Calamba segment, the DoTr said.
It added that Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7 and the Common Station are near completion.
Other projects in the pipeline are the PNR Bicol line, the Mindanao Railway Phase 1, the LRT-2 West Extension Project, the MRT-4 Project, and the Subic Clark Railway Project.
In a statement on his Facebook page, Mr. Tugade said of the recent meeting: “We hope for continuity of projects in the new administration and looking forward to more game-changing projects and programs in the transportation sector that will make the lives of the Filipino convenient and comfortable.”
“Buo po ang aking suporta at tiwala sa bagong mamumuno sa Kagawaran. Handa ’ho akong tumulong sa abot ng aking makakaya habang patuloy ang transition period sa papasok na administrasyon at mga opisyal nito (I have full confidence in the new leadership at the department. I am willing to do my utmost to help during the transition period),” he added.
The department said it recently started work on reviving the PNR San Pablo-Lucena Line, and started underground construction on the Metro Manila Subway.
“We have also completed the LRT-2 East Extension and the massive rehabilitation of the DoTr MRT-3 rail lines,” the department said. — Arjay L. Balinbin
