Philippines Accelerates Search for Operator of North-South Commuter Railway

The Philippine Department of Transportation (DoTr) is intensifying its efforts to identify a qualified operator for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, aiming to launch bidding documents by the end of September or early October. This push follows the completion of the final phase of the NSCR’s operations and maintenance (O&M) roadshow, which drew significant participation from international companies, predominantly from Japan.

"We are pleased with the strong attendance during the fourth leg of our O&M roadshow, which underscores that our approach to structuring the concession is headed in the right direction," said Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John R. Batan in a statement released Thursday.

The event saw around 28 Japanese corporations, including major players such as Mitsubishi Corp., Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo Metro, Sumitomo Corp., and Alstom Japan, express their interest in handling the O&M contract for the NSCR.

The DoTr has aggressively promoted the P229.32-billion O&M concession through multiple roadshows conducted not only in Japan but also in Singapore and Paris, France. Feedback from these events is currently being incorporated into the final bidding documents and concession agreement, which are expected to be published imminently.

Siddhartha Bhaskar Shah, Director for Office of Markets Development and Public-Private Partnership at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the project's technical advisor, projected the concession award to occur by March or April 2026. "The next major milestone is the bid document launch planned for the end of this month, initiating a formal bidding process that will span about six months," he stated.

Undersecretary Batan reiterated, "By late September or early October, we anticipate the official release and publication of the tender for this O&M concession."

Public-private partnership (PPP) expert Nigel Paul C. Villarete commented that O&M PPP projects tend to attract more interest compared to build-operate-transfer (BOT) models. Although he questioned the impact of roadshows, he emphasized the importance of well-crafted PPP contracts that protect the country's economic interests while delivering appealing returns for private investors.

The 147-kilometer NSCR will link Malolos, Bulacan to Clark International Airport and connect Tutuban, Manila to Calamba, Laguna. Valued at P873 billion and co-financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the ADB, the railway will comprise 35 stations and three depots.

According to the DoTr, the section from Valenzuela to Malolos is expected to partially commence operations by 2027, while the Malolos to Clark segment will follow in 2028.