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The following is an excerpt from the Infrastructure section of the "Development Plan for the Bangsamoro" prepared in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Details of this report are available here: https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12253654_01.pdf
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Mindanao’s Railway Plan
There is a wide clamor to build a Mindanao circumferential railway system, but it has not been realized due to its substantial investment requirement that puts to question its economic feasibility. Nonetheless, short run railways in high traffic areas are being seriously considered such as the Cagayan–Iligan corridor. A feasibility study on an 82.5 km railway from Cagayan de Oro to Iligan has been completed and reviewed for possible external financing.
The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)-initiated plan, Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan (2011–2030), envisions that construction of Mindanao’s first railway will start by 2016 and operation will commence in 2020. Phase I is expected to run between Cagayan and Iligan with an estimated budget of PHP 57,733 million and to be financed through PPP.
Since the priority lines are outside Bangsamoro and financing and implementation plans are not yet clear, the impact of this project on the Bangsamoro development seems to be minimal. The planned railway route and stations are shown in Figure 4.4.
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Posted on June 04, 2015
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=mindanao-railway-seen-spreading-development-outside-metro-manila&id=109063
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Businesses in this city, the economic hub of Northern Mindanao, have renewed their efforts to get the Mindanao Railway System (MRS) back on track amid hopes that it will spur economic development outside the capital region.
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The first segment of the MRS that could be placed under the PPP covers the Northern Mindanao Region -- running from Laguindingan where a new international airport is located, to Cagayan de Oro City; Laguindingan to Iligan City, another major urban center; Cagayan de Oro to the Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corporation Industrial Authority district of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; and from Iligan City to Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
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Earlier this week, MinDA Executive Director Janet M. Lopoz said in an interview in Davao City that the agency is also planning to revive the MRS as conceptualized under the administration of former President Fidel V. Ramos, which is composed of six segments that will link the major cities in Mindanao.
The Mindanao railway system was first proposed in a bill filed by then Misamis Oriental Rep. Augusto Baculio in the 1990s. Later on, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created the Mindanao Railways Office under the Department of Transportation and Communications, which was abolished by the current government
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http://www.neda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/TOR-for-the-Conduct-of-the-FS-of-MRP-23-04-15-LATEST.pdf
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE
1.1. Contracting Authority
The General Appropriations Act (GAA) for FY2014 has allocated the amount of PhP400,000,000.00 for the conduct of feasibility studies (F/S) to be administered by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
For this Terms of Reference (TOR), NEDA shall be the Executing Agency while the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) shall be the Implementing Agency. The proposed Project is consistent with DA’s major programs/projects/activities (PPAs).
1.2. Relevant Country/Sector Context
The proposed Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) is supportive of the thrust of the Updated 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan (PDP), specifically under Chapter 10 (Accelerating Infrastructure Development). Said Plan recognizes that the major shortcoming of the transportation sector is the lack of integrated and coordinated transport network. Global assessments of the country’s transport infrastructure network indicate that its quality and capacity remain low. The lack of integration between national and local government plans and programs/projects is also a major problem that results in gaps in the transport network, contributing to the low capacity and quality of infrastructure facilities.
1.3. Current State of the Transport Sector
Mindanao shares the same constraints in transport infrastructure improvements. To improve physical connectivity within Mindanao, a fast, safe, reliable, efficient, convenient, dependable, environment-friendly and alternative mode of transport will provide the people of Mindanao the benefits of reduced travel time and increased opportunities for economic activities.
The development of MRP has long been planned but never realized. Mindanao is the second largest island group with an area of 106 thousand square kilometers and has a 22 million population with an annual population growth rate of 1.9 percent from 2000 to 2010.
The proposed railway transport service will play a major role towards improvement of Mindanao’s intra island accessibility, linkages and seamless multimodal transport networks. The island is strategically located and has potential as a major transshipment point and center of trade in the Brunei DarussalamIndonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region.
Enhanced interconnectivity and linkages through passenger and freight railway transport development will further boost tourism, trade and commerce in the island; bring opportunities for the acceleration of local area development; and expansion of local markets for more efficient movement of goods and people to promote productivity and trade competitiveness.
It is deemed to complement/integrate programs/projects that will address the lingering problem on poor quality of roads and incomplete road networks in some parts of Mindanao, e.g., interconnectivity between rail, maritime and aviation transport infrastructure facilities.
1.4. Related Project/Programs and Other Donor Activities
To assess the viability of implementing the MRP, the following studies were previously undertaken:
• Strategic Railway Development Plan (SRDP);
• Cagayan De Oro-Iligan Corridor (CIC) from Linamon to Jasaan;
• Pre-Feasibility Study for Tagum-Davao-Digos Corridor; and
• Technical Assessment for Iligan-Pagadian City-Zamboanga.
Under this TOR, the F/S must examine and take into consideration the proposed MRP’s contribution to the Southeast Asia regional integration process, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, which includes a proposal for the development of a regional nautical highway that would essentially expand the Philippine Roll on/Roll off (RORO) system. Said Plan, which will serve as the main vehicle of the planned economic integration by 2015, intends to enhance the physical, institutional and people-to-people interconnectivity across Southeast Asia and the BIMP-EAGA region.
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Writer: Office of Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles
10 May 2011 03:02:10 PM
http://congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=5080
House Assistant Majority Leader and Davao City Congressman Karlo Alexei Nograles today lauded President Aquino for his full support for an increased nautical linkages among ASEAN (Association of
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Nograles noted that the Mindanao Railway is already in the advanced stage of its feasibility study and the state-run Saudi Fund for Development has expressed interest in providing as much as $1.3 billion in cheap financing to fund the project.
The planned Mindanao railway is made up of a network of lines linking Cagayan de Oro to Iligan, Iligan to Zamboanga City, and Cagayan de Oro to Agusan and Surigao, as well as extensions to the cities of Davao and General Santos.
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March 8, 2014
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/333611
SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III on Friday asked President Benigno Aquino III to transfer supervision of the Mindanao Railway Project Office (MRPO) from the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
Pimentel, representing various Mindanao leaders, said PNR has the technical know how to implement the project, a network of lines linking Cagayan de Oro to the cities of Iligan and Zamboanga, the provinces of Agusan and Surigao and the cities of Davao and General Santos.
He said the masterplan was already completed in 2010 and the feasibility study for the first phase of the project is also finished, linking the Cagayan de Oro industrial corridor from Jasaan, Misamis Oriental to Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
Pimentel said the opening segment of the proposed Mindanao Railway System will link two vital Mindanao gateways, the Languindingan International Airport and the Mindanao Container Port.
He said business in these areas, including the transfer of goods, trade and commerce, will enjoy an expected boon once the project is in full operation.
The project was started in the late 90s during the term of former President Fidel Ramos, but it was only in 2006 when the MRPO was created under the supervision of the LTFRB.
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