Calamba to Manila in 1 Hour, 15 Minutes: South Commuter Railway Project Is Signed

(SPOT.ph) Southerners, your commute between Laguna and Manila will be cut in half once the $1.87 billion (P110 billion) Southern Commuter Railway Project is complete, said the Asian Development Bank, which is financing the project.

It will take just 1 hour and 15 minutes from 2 hours to travel the 55-kilometer length of the South Commuter Railway, which will be connected to another centerpiece infrastructure program, the Metro Manila Subway, said the Manila-based ADB.

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South Commuter Railway is expected to help cut pollution

According to the ADB, the South Commuter Railway project is seen to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by over 284,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually with some 600,000 passengers expected to use the railway, which is part of the North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) network.

“This project will open tremendous opportunities for economic integration across Metro Manila and neighboring provinces and create a significant positive impact on the local economy,” said ADB Deputy Director General for Southeast Asia Winfried Wicklein at the contract signing with the Philippine government on Thursday.

Construction of the South Commuter Railway Project is seen to create some 35,000 construction jobs and some 3,000 permanent jobs once operational.

For Laguna residents, the railway is seen to improve access to employment opportunities in Metro Manila, Wicklein said.

Read: Hybrid Work Setup Is Now a Deciding Factor Among Filipino Jobseekers