MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s push to advance two major railway projects will cut travel time for Bulacan commuters and help generate new investments and jobs in the province, Senator Joel Villanueva said Friday.
Villanueva welcomed Marcos’ report on the progress of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) and Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7), saying the projects would provide long-awaited relief to residents who have relied on congested highways in traveling to Metro Manila.
“Mula noon hanggang ngayon, oras po ang binibilang sa biyahe para sa aming mga Bulakenyo na magtutungo sa Metro Manila para magtrabaho, mag-aral, o mag-negosyo (From then until now, Bulakenyos have counted the hours spent traveling to Metro Manila for work, school or business),” Villanueva, a native of Bocaue, said in a news release.
In his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Marcos said NSCR trains are expected to begin operating between Valenzuela and Malolos next year, while the Department of Transportation is targeting the completion of the line to Clark before the end of his term.
The President also announced that 12 MRT-7 stations would open next year, with the line eventually extending to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
The two railway systems are expected to serve nearly one million passengers daily.
Villanueva said reliable and faster rail travel would not only return hours to commuters but also attract businesses such as logistics hubs, call centers, commercial establishments and housing developments along the railway corridor.
“A working railway isn’t just about getting home faster. It’s what convinces a business to put up a warehouse, a call center, or a housing project along that line instead of somewhere else,” he said.
Villanueva, a co-author of the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act, said the law helped address acquisition issues that had delayed both projects.
“Sa usaping right-of-way nadidiskaril ang mga naunang panukalang proyekto, subalit tinanggal na natin ang balakid sa pamamagitan ng ARROW Act (Earlier projects were derailed by right-of-way issues, but we removed that obstacle through the ARROW Act),” he said.
The senator said he would continue working with the DOTr, local government units in Bulacan, and Congress to keep the projects on track and ensure that their benefits reach commuters and local communities. (PNA)
