The Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP) is a 53.1km-long railway line being constructed to connect Malolos, Bulacan, to the Clark economic zone and Clark International Airport (CIA) in central Luzon, Philippines.
The project is part of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, a 163km suburban railway network that will connect Clark, Pampanga, and Calamba City, Laguna. The initiative is a cornerstone within the large-scale infrastructure development scheme known as the “Build, Better, More” programme promoted by the Philippine Government.
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The elevated MCRP railway line is being developed through Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme, facilitated by a loan aid agreement between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It will be the first airport express railway service in the Philippines.
MCRP is expected to reduce the travel time between Manila and Clark International Airport to one hour, upon completion in 2025, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60,000tpa.
Malolos-Clark railway project details
MCRP is being constructed as two rail segments, including a 51.2km Malolos-Clark section connecting Malolos City to Clark regional growth centre and Clark International Airport, and a 1.9km Blumentritt extension connecting Solis and the Blumentritt stations in Manila District I (City of Manila).
The project includes the construction of an underground access section to the Clark International Airport, which will offer short connections, as well as a station at the airport terminal. It will also include bridges and viaducts for the elevated section of the railway line.
MCRP will have a total of seven elevated stations featuring two separate platforms with a right-of-way (ROW) width of 60m.
Stations will feature elevators and escalators for easy passenger movement, and automatic fare control systems, including ticket vending machines, gates, fare adjustment machines, data collecting machines, and office booking machines.
Rolling stock and ridership of MCRP
Electric multiple units (EMUs) will run on the new line in three categories, including commuter train, express commuter train, and airport limited express train. The maximum speed of the trains will be 160km/h.
Malolos-Clark railway project infrastructure
MCRP will include a maintenance depot spread across an area of 40ha in the Sacobia area near the airport. The facility will also serve as a central command office for carrying out operations of the mainline.
The depot layout will mainly include an operation control centre, a main workshop, a car washing track, a light repair shop, a track maintenance base, and a stabling yard.
An administration building will also be constructed, which will house control rooms, offices, kitchens, toilets, and workshop.
MCRP financing details
The total estimated cost of the project is $6.1bn, which is being co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and JICA, through a multi-tranche financing facility.
ADB signed a $1.3bn loan agreement with the Government of the Philippines for the construction of the MCRP in July 2019, which is the first tranche of the total $2.75bn loan facility agreed to be provided by the bank for the project. Two additional tranches were released by the bank by 2022.
ADB mainly finances the civil works of the project, including stations, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. JICA provides $2bn to finance the rolling stock and railway systems.
Malolos-Clark railway project benefits
MCRP will serve approximately 342,000 passengers a day along the Manila-Clark corridor and up to 696,000 passengers to Calamba. It will minimise traffic congestion in and around Metro Manila, as well as reduce air pollution and transport and logistics costs while boosting economic growth.
It will create employment for 1,400 people during the operation phase.
NSCR project details
The North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project involves the building of approximately 110km of primary track, accommodating 27 new stations. It comprises a 55km segment in the south, spanning from Tutuban to Calamba in Laguna Province, and a 51km segment in the north, stretching from Malolos to Clark International Airport in Pampanga Province.
The Calamba station will be linked to the PNR South Long Haul line, which is slated for expansion to the southernmost point of Luzon Island, enhancing connectivity between Manila’s outskirts and the metropolitan network.
The NSCR is set to be finalised between 2024 and 2028.
Contractors involved
Oriental Consultants Global, a company based in Japan, received a contract to provide a detailed design for the Malolos-Clark railway project in May 2018.
DOTr has engaged the Greater Capital Railway Consortium (Department of Transportation & Philippines National Railway) to serve as the principal consultant, tasked with providing support for project implementation and assuming the overarching responsibility for supervising, monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the environmental management plan (EMP).
Spain-based infrastructure company Acciona will build a total of 6,186 segments, each with a 2.5m length and an approximate weight of 45t.
In August 2020, two civil works contracts worth approximately $728m were signed by the government for the project. One contract, granted to the joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines from Spain and Philippine construction company EEI, encompasses the construction of approximately 6.3km of primary railway lines and 1.6km of depot access lines, featuring an underground railway station at Clark International Airport.
The second contract, awarded to POSCO Engineering and Construction from South Korea, involves the establishment of a 33ha depot and a railway operations control centre in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
In September 2020, Hyundai E&C, in partnership with Donga Geological Engineering and local construction company Megawide, was awarded a $573m contract for section one of the MCRP. The contract involves the construction of two railway stations, as well as a 17km elevated bridge.
In March 2023, Mitsubishi chose Colas Rail, a consortium led by Alstom, to design and build the electrical and mechanical systems and track works for the extension of the NSCR line in the Philippines. Colas Rail will handle the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the tracks and overhead contact systems.
Alsina Philippines supplied the formwork for the pierheads, columns, and pile tops for the Malolos-Clark Railway line.
The DOTr awarded Sumitomo a Y72.5bn ($629m) contract for the delivery of 304 train cars for the MCRP and the NSCR line in March 2022. The contract will cover various components, including construction, delivery, spare components, special tools, and warranties, with the contract in effect for 78 months.
The vibration and noise-free Press-in Method, employing GIKEN’s SILENT PILER™ press-in and extraction machinery, has been selected for implementation in the project. It allows work to progress without disrupting the daily lives of residents.
In April 2022, a F201A SILENT PILER™, designed for the installation of 600mm-wide U-shape sheet piles, was delivered to regional company BNC Construction. The equipment is being used to construct 510 U-shaped sheet piles (15m-30m long) to form retaining walls for new bridge piers in the city of San Fernando.
Other contractors involved in the project are Vinh Hung Trading Consulting and Construction, Daelim Industrial, Italian-Thai Development, SYSTRA, Rúbrica Engineering, and more.
