The railway projects under the President Marcos’ administration are “right on track,” a Department of Transportation (DOTr) senior official said on Saturday, noting that the government has improved the current operating lines and was fast tracking the existing rail projects. In a news forum in Quezon City, Cesar Chavez, undersecretary for railways for the DOTr, reported that four operating lines—the Philippine National Railway (PNR), Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2, and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)— were “improving significantly.” Chavez said since Mr. Marcos began his term, train sets at PNR increased from nine to 15, with another set coming next month.
DOTr: Railway projects ‘right on track’
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT A Philippine National Railway train arrives at San Andres station in Manila in this photo taken in February. Lawmakers and officials in Bicol have been urging the government to prioritize the rehabilitation of the rail line to the region to boost the local economy. —RICHARD REYES