SCMB cargo railway gets US funding, S. Korea shows interest

Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go remains optimistic about the progress of the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) cargo railway project.

Despite the Trump administration's withdrawal of financial aid in some countries, Go expressed hope that the United States would continue supporting the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), which is part of a trilateral partnership among the US, Japan, and the Philippines.

The SCMB cargo railway has received USD2.5 million from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency for a feasibility study in partnership with Sweden.

South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa recently expressed interest in joining the LEC, which already has support from other countries like the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Australia.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is securing land for the project, with 43 landowners in Pampanga agreeing to share their properties as of December 2024.

Go noted that government support is crucial for the SCMB cargo railway due to its need for sovereign funds.