Start of Mindanao Railway construction unclear as China funding not yet on hand —DOTr

The start of construction of the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment of the Mindanao Railway Project is still unclear, since the government has not yet secured the loan funding for the project from China.

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Transportation Assistant Secretary Eymard Eje was asked the possible date to begin construction.

Eje, however, could not give a definite date yet since “ang proseso ng China-funded ay kakaiba ang loan nila kesa sa ordinaryong loan funding.”

The Transportation official explained that China requires procurement must go first  before a loan agreement is signed.

Eje handles the Department of Transportation’s Mindanao projects cluster.

“Ongoing ang PMC (project management consultant) procurement... Doon naman sa design and build [contract] inaantay ang shortlist ng contractors na magpa-participate sa bidding process,” Eje said, noting that only after a procurement process the negotiations for a loan agreement can proceed.

“‘Pag natapos ang loan process may three to six months ang detailed engineering design... don na magsisimula ang actual construction,” he added.

Nonetheless, Eje said he is optimistic that the loan agreement with China will be signed within the year.

“Ang target partial operability natin sa ngayon, meron kami sa aming timeline, na March 2022,” he said.

The Mindanao Railway Project, a campaign promise of President Rodrigo Duterte, was originally set to begin construction in January 2019.

“Kung pinaguusapan ay delay. Masakit man pong tanggapin nagkaroon tayo ng delay. Ito lamang po ay dahil sa mga dokumentong nire-require sa atin ng ating mga [Chinese] counterparts,” Eje said.

“Pero sa kabila ng community lcokdowns patuloy pa rin tayong nagtatraaho... Nagaantay tayo ng tugon sa Chinese government kung kelan maipapadala ang shortlist nang sa gayon makapag simula na tayo sa procurement ng design and build contract,” he said.

The over P80-billion railway project’s partial operability covers the 100.2-kilometer Tagum-Davao-Digos segment.

It will be financed through an official development assistance from China. — BM, GMA News