The Department of Transportation (DOTr) unveiled on Friday the country’s first-ever eight-car electric multiple train set for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 in Malanday Depot, Valenzuela City.

The train set is considered the longest set of its kind in the country, extending up to 160 meters and is under the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System as part of the Duterte administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build” program.

During the ceremony live-streamed on Facebook, the DOTr said each train set could cater up to 2,228 passengers and is expected to run from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan.

The train set is the first of 13 train sets – comprising 104 train cars – that are set to be delivered to the country.

Once the project is completed, travel time from Tutuban to Malolos will be cut by half an hour from the previous 1.5 hours.

Committed to providing Filipino commuters with convenience, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Representative Sakamoto Takema said the train set is the realization of a long-envisioned project using Japanese technologies.

“We are pleased and proud to inform you that these train sets are totally the same brand as Tokyo’s Yamanote line. These are the rolling stocks that are famous and constantly used by millions of commuters, passengers in Japan… The safety and reliability feature of rolling stocks is one of the main reasons why NCR is called the golden infrastructure project,” Sakamoto said.

Meanwhile, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade also thanked the Japanese government, JICA, and other stakeholders for their shared milestone for the country’s transportation programs, which he described as historic.

“Never before in the history of JICA, and never before in the history of the Philippines, has there been so [many] projects of infrastructure and facilities in the Philippines, has there been so much investment,” the secretary said.

Furthermore, Tugade also assured the Filipinos that these projects will continue beyond their term, adding that these are all fully funded.

“Hindi na ‘yan kayang pigilan gaya ng ilang project (There’s no stopping this project) because it has already been funded, the project has already been started, the projects are being completed, some of which are already completed,” he said.

He also mentioned the DOTr’s unique concept of partial operability to ensure commuters will feel the comfort they intend to bring.

“Whereas before, the projects can’t be started, it cannot commence while in operation until it is completely finished… Not so with the Department of Transportation under the Duterte administration, when we said there has got to be partial operability, meaning we don’t have to wait for the phases of the entire project from A to Z to be finished. If the project segment will allow it, for the Filipino people and the riding public to appreciate the project, then so be it,” Tugade said. (PNA)