The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) conducted a joint briefing and inspection of the Clark Station and key facilities of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension Project on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
The delegation was led by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, and DOTr Assistant Secretary for Right of Way (ROW) Acquisition for Rail and Road Irish Calaguas.
Standing gat 87.34% overall progress as of August 2026, Contract Package N-04 of the North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR-Ex) Project covers crucial civil engineering and construction works for approximately 6.5 kilometers of railway track structure, featuring the countryβs first modern underground station at Clark International Airport (CRK). Specifically, the Clark Station is now at 73.29% progress.
In addition to this, the contract also includes an elevated viaduct and bridges, an underground tunnel leading directly to the airport station, and at-grade access to the main NSCR depot
Reaffirming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.βs priority to expedite key national transport infrastructure, Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez emphasized that seamless agency and stakeholder collaboration is vital to completing the rail line.
“Ang sabi po ng ating Pangulo, kailangan matapos itong proyekto. This is not simply for DOTr, this is not simply for our Cabalens or kababayans, but this is for the entire Filipino people,” Secretary Lopez stressed. “We need our contractors, consultants, and DOTr to work in lockstep with our LGUs (local government units) and local leaders. Strong LGU collaboration is vital in resolving site challenges smoothly, ensuring local community support, and keeping construction unhindered from start to finish.”
Highlighting the features and timelines of the project, Usec. Batan said, “One of our key elements is our airport express service. So we are buying 51 8-car trainsets. On top of that, we will also have seven (7) airport express trains that will run up to 160 kph, connecting our Clark Airport to Makati non-stop in 55 minutes. That is our target.”
“Currently, we are on track for our first partial operations by the end of 2027. Thatβs the first 28 kilometers, seven stations, from Valenzuela to Malolos. After Malolos, an additional 53 kilometers to Clark by the second half of 2028. And one of the first segments that will be finished is this Clark Station going to Angeles City,” Usec. Batan added.
Emphasizing the strategic role of the NSCR in driving regional economic development, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto highlighted the project’s impact as a vital logistics backbone.
“Lahat ng ito ay 147 kilometers. Itβs a major infrastructure, major logistics infra for the Luzon Economic Corridor. Napakahalaga niyan. We need an additional leg in our stool, so to speak, sa ating ekonomiya. We need to develop more manufacturing capabilities. Meron tayong mga semiconductors na gustong ilipat dito sa Clark at sa buong Luzon Economic Corridor,” Exec. Sec. Recto said.
On project execution and funding, Exec. Sec. Recto assured that the administration is actively addressing past implementation bottlenecks under the Presidentβs directive, with full financial backing to expedite construction and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of the project.
“We are on [the right track]. May konting delay sa nakaraan, at pinatututukan ng Pangulo ito, na matapos natin on time.β
Upon completion, the NSCR-Ex Project is projected to decongest major roadways, lower commuting costs, and deliver a reliable, comfortable transit experience for everyday commuters and workers.
Also in attendance during the inspection were Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Joshua Bingcang, ACCIONAβEEI Joint Venture (JV) Project Director FermΓn MartΓn Soriano, and several project engineers and local airport authorities.(Rey Nillama)