The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced a major step forward in the development of the vital North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System, confirming the successful acquisition of right-of-way (ROW) in six crucial areas spanning from Calumpit, Bulacan, to Clark, Pampanga. This accelerated pace is in direct response to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to streamline the land acquisition process for critical transport infrastructure.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez stated that the successful ROW acquisition addresses long-standing bottlenecks, ensuring the project remains on its expedited timeline to deliver efficient and reliable transport services to commuters.
“We are moving quickly on right-of-way and construction of our railway, as directed by President Marcos,” Acting Secretary Lopez said, underscoring the urgency of the work. “We extend our deep gratitude to the local government units in these critical areas—including Angeles City, Mabalacat City, City of San Fernando, Apalit, Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Calumpit, Malolos, and the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan—for their invaluable support and cooperation in making this progress possible.”
The six newly cleared ROW properties are situated in strategic locations vital to the NSCR’s northern alignment: Clark International Airport, SM Clark, Barangay Pulungbulo in Angeles, Barangay Sto. Niño in San Fernando, Barangay San Vicente in Apalit, and Barangay Iba Este in Calumpit.
The DOTr also lauded the efforts of the Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition (ROWSA) Team, led by Assistant Secretary IC Calaguas, for their instrumental role in speeding up the land acquisition process. With this progress, the construction of the Malolos Station is already nearing completion.
Looking ahead, Acting Secretary Lopez expressed confidence in meeting ambitious targets for both the northern and southern NSCR segments. The DOTr is targeting the completion of all remaining ROW requirements for the northern section (Malolos to Clark) by mid-2026.
Concurrently, the agency is aggressively fast-tracking work on the southern segment, targeting ROW acquisition completion for nine key stations by December 2025. These stations include Biñan, Cabuyao, Sta. Rosa, EDSA, Sucat, Muntinlupa, FTI, Blumentritt, and Sta. Mesa. Utility relocation for the southern segment, alongside the Banlic Depot, is also being fast-tracked for completion by December 2025, with ROW acquisition for the Banlic Depot already at 98 percent.
The NSCR System is designed to significantly improve connectivity and mobility for commuters across the regions, supporting economic growth and easing the burden of travel.
