PBBM OKs privatization of NSCR operations

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved the privatization of the operations and maintenance of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.

The Economy and Development Council (EDC) approved the NSCR's O&M on July 15, marking a major milestone in modernizing public transportation and improving regional connectivity across Luzon.

The 147-km NSCR aims to connect Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna, and is expected to ferry up to 800,000 passengers daily, with plans to eventually serve up to one million commuters.

It will feature 31 elevated, three at-grade, and one underground station.

The NSCR will offer commuter trains and Limited Express trains, with speeds of 120 to 130 kilometers per hour, significantly improving travel speeds.

The project is anticipated to halve travel time from Clark Airport to Calamba to less than 2 hours from the current 4 hours.

The total estimated cost of the operations and maintenance contract is P229.32 billion.

Pre-operations for the project are set to begin from March 2026 to July 2027, with Phase 1 opening in 2028 and Phase 2 extending services until December 2031.