Eleven local and foreign firms are bidding for the second phase of the 147-kilometer Philippine National Railways Clark North project.
They are Yuchengco-led EEI Corp., engineering and construction group Megawide Corp., Spanish conglomerate Acciona, leading construction firm Daelim, Dong Ah Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Italian-Thai Development Public Co. Ltd. (Thailand) and Indonesian firms PT Pembangunan Perumahan, PT Waskita Karya Tbk, PT Wijaya Karya Tbk, and Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Corp.
Phase 2 covers civil works for the 53-km rail line that will connect Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga as well as stations, bridges, viaducts and a tunnel leading to the Clark International Airport. It will have six stations – Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark and Clark Airport.
This segment is expected to be operational by 2022 and cut travel time from Buendia in Makati City to just five minutes from the current two hours .
The entire project, when completed, is expected to accommodate up to one million passengers per day.
PNR general manager Junn Magno said the record turnout of bidders demonstrates the international infrastructure industry’s support to the Duterte government’s Build, Build, Build program.