Onin Miguel Develos / AdDU Intern
MINDANAO Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson, Secretary Leo Magno, said the Mindanao Railway Project is not at risk of being railroaded despite the pullout of the original funder China.
According to Magno, there has been a change in perspective regarding the railway’s power source. The initial proposal of a diesel-powered train is still under reconsideration but the government has shifted toward an electric-powered train.
“The President’s announcement is very clear, tuloy ito inaayos lang ang mga detalye. On the side of DOTr (Department of Transportation), inaayos lang ang technical description and ang funding kung saan mangagaling,” he said.
While Magno could not provide a definitive timeline for the railway project completion, He assured Mindanaoans that modernizing Mindanao’s transportation and infrastructure is still a priority of the Marcos administration.
Recently, the DOTr, the lead in this project, released a statement saying they are still assessing the applicability of the existing design.
DOTr Secretary Jimmy Bautista announced that the technical working group recommended an electric-powered railway system. The agency is still in the planning stages of possibly making the railway a dual-track system rather than the original single-track.
The P81.7 billion MRP Phase 1 covers 100 kilometers and includes eight railway stations linking Tagum City, Davao City, Sta. Cruz, and Digos City. The project will cut the travel time from Tagum to Digos from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours.
