A CONGRESSMAN called on the government on Wednesday to seek Japanese loans to fund a bullet train from Manila to Bicol.
“It would be ideal for Tokyo to build a bullet train in lieu of a regular railway system, as envisioned in the original financial negotiations with Beijing during the previous Duterte administration, given Japan’s expertise in this state-of-the-art rail technology,” Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte said in a statement.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said the government is considering official development assistance (ODA) from Japan, South Korea, and India to fund three major railway projects — Bicol’s South Long-Haul, Mindanao Railway, and Subic-Clark Railway — to replace China as a funding source.
Mr. Bautista said the Philippine government plans to terminate its deal with a Chinese consortium to construct the P141.79-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Long Haul project.
The initial phase of the project would involve a 380-kilometer railway connecting Banlic and Calamba, Laguna in central Luzon, to Daraga, Albay in southern Luzon.
Mr. Villafuerte said that Tokyo loans would be an ideal source to fund the project, citing its role in the country’s transportation projects.
He cited Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains, which run at 320 km per hour.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida committed its support to the administration’s Build, Better, More program at Congress’ special joint session last week.
“This planned railway project will certainly give a big boost to the economy and tourism in our region, create more jobs and encourage more Bicolanos to stay put in Bicol instead of migrating,” Mr. Villafuerte also said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
