Duterte signs $4.3B ADB loan for South Commuter Railway

President Duterte and Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa signed a $4.3 billion loan agreement for the South Commuter Railway project on Thursday.

The first tranche of $1.75 billion was signed separately by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa on Friday.

The railway project, which is part of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) system, will connect Metro Manila to Calamba in Laguna over a distance of 54.6 kilometers with 18 stations.

ADB highlighted that the project aims to provide fast and affordable travel for millions of Filipinos, reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and boost job creation.