North-South Railway Project, Philippines

19 August 2022
https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/north-south-railway-project/

Facts:

• The North-South railway project involves the development and revitalisation of the long-haul
and commuter railway network.

• The North-South railway project (NSRP) is a part of the Government of Philippines’ objective to
catalyse economic and urban growth in the most populous regions of the islands by providing
critical connectivity through a world-class passenger rail service.

• The NSRP includes two lines, NSRP North and NSRP South. A key component of the project is
the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 147km urban rail transit system being built on the
island of Luzon. The estimated investment in the NSCR project is approximately $11.9bn.

• The NSCR Malolos-Manila and Clark Extension sections are expected to be completed in 2024.

• A partial operation of the Clark extension section is planned for the third quarter (Q3) of 2023,
with full operation planned for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024.

• The NSRP South Line also includes the repair and replacement of more than 420 bridges and
the development of 15 stations and three depots. The new line will be served by diesel-powered
multiple unit rolling stock, comprising six eight-car trains with additional spares.

Concerns:

• Transport between different provinces is slow and cumbersome, making it difficult for investors
and employees to access economic opportunities outside the capital.

•NSCR has stopped and started numerous times over the years. It has been historically hampered
by poor design, delays, work stoppages, disputes, funding issues and changes of government.

• The key challenge posed was that many design and construction elements needed to be
reviewed and potentially reworked to identify issues and gain cost savings.

• Working on such a complex project with multidisciplinary teams, a robust project management
approach was key to success.
Analysis:

• The project is aimed at providing better transportation and logistics services between two
rapidly growing urban regions in the Philippines.

• Metro Manila, where the project originates, is the country’s largest city in terms of urban
density, with a population of approximately 12 million. With 48 million residents, the island of
Luzon is the biggest and most populous island in the country.

• 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.

Recommendations:

• Project manager must consider the cost of quality when planning projects to ensure they're not
wasting money on fixing mistakes later.

• Project planning must be carefully crafted and strategized to suit project needs and, as this
project required multidisciplinary coordination to be successful, communication is the key.

• Clear and consistent communication will laid the tracks for success, with regular interface
review and collaboration meetings that kept everyone informed and address the design issues
effectively.

• Technical and coordination meetings must be used to monitor progress and resolve and
mitigate any current or anticipated issues.

• Regularly consult with the client and the asset owner to address concerns and comments
immediately, and to both seek and provide clarification on issues in real time.