The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the operator of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), the country’s largest infrastructure project, will be granted a uniform rate through availability payments and a concession of up to 22.5 years.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez explained that the term includes pre-operations, partial operations, and 15 years of full service, with no extension allowed under the approved terms.
Unlike the LRT-1 mode, where operators rely on fare collections, the NSCR concessionaire will be compensated from the DOTr’s budget, incentivizing performance over passenger revenue.
Analysts expect strong foreign interest in the P229-billion operations contract, though some warn corruption scandals in public works may dampen investor confidence.
Once fully operational, the P873.6-billion NSCR, co-funded by Japan, is projected to serve 800,000 passengers daily across 147 kilometers and 35 stations.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 30, 2025
