DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 8 June)— President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured Mindanawons that his administration will pursue the Tagum City-Davao City-Digos City (TDD) segment of the Mindanao Railway Project.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Digos City on Thursday (6 June 2024). Photo: Presidential Communications Office
In his speech during the “Distribution of Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families” in Digos City, Davao del Sur on Thursday, Marcos Jr. said his administration is continuously looking for other funding sources to finance the construction of the project’s 102-kilometer first phase.
The railway system was a major infrastructure project of his immediate predecessor, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, but did not take off.
Marcos Jr. said that the transportation system of Davao Region should be improved to hasten economic development in rural areas.
“Layunin nitong mapabilis hindi lamang ang daloy ng transportasyon, kundi pati na ang pag-usad ng kaunlaran sa inyong lugar (The purpose of this is to accelerate not only the flow of transportation, but also the progress of development in your area),” he added.
He said that the implementation of the railway project will be given focus during his administration. Marcos Jr. was elected in 2022 and will serve until his six-year term ends on June 30, 2028.
“Asahan po ninyo, tututukan po natin [ito] upang makapagbigay ng bagong pag-asa sa inyo at sa mga susunod pang henerasyon (Expect that we will focus on this to give new hope to you and the next generations),” he said.
Last October 2023, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista announced that that the Philippine government would no longer pursue negotiations with the Chinese Government for an official development assistance (ODA).
Bautista said that the Philippine government is “looking for another funding source.”
According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the cost of the entire TDD line is pegged at P81.7 billion.
The stations of TDD line will be located in Tagum, Carmen, and Panabo in Davao del Norte; Mudiang, Maa, and Toril in Davao City; and Santa Cruz and Digos City in Davao del Sur.
DOTr said the TDD segment will reduce travel time between Tagum and Digos from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours and will provide “passengers safe, fast, and reliable transport options on the TDD commuter line.”
A flagship project of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program, the railway was originally targeted to be completed in 2021, and expected to serve approximately 134,000 riders a day by 2022, up to 237,000 by 2032, and 375,000 by 2042. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)