THE P126-billion Tagum-Davao-Digos (TDD) railway, the first segment of the Mindanao Railway Project, will be government-funded under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

After different foreign investors had shown interest in investing for the first segment of the Mindanao Railway Project, it had been finally decided and approved that the P89 billion from the P126-billion total project cost of TDD railway will be shouldered by the 2018 DoTr GAA. Out of this budget, P5.7 billion had already been released to fund the right of way acquisition, parcellary survey, ECC certification, and operation of the PMO/TWG/and Steering committee.

Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) Publuic Relation Chief Adrian Tamayo said they target to finish the parcellary survey in December so they can proceed with the rights of way acquisition.

A P30-billion budget will also be taken from the 2019 DoTr GAA in addition to the P89 billion. The remaining P7 billion will be funded by Neda. The 102-kilometer TDD railway is already approved by the Neda board to be back to being two-track and electrified.

“The first segment of the TDD railway will have stations in Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Tibungco, another one along Diversion Road near Davao Christian High School, Toril near Gmall, then another one in Sta. Cruz, and then Digos,” said Tamayo during the Bizforum press conference yesterday, October 16, at Dermpath, SM City Davao.