MANILA, Philippines- Patuloy ang pag-usad ng ilang Japan-funded railway projects sa Pilipino para sa pagkumpleto nito.
Ito ang tiniyak ni Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista kay Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, na kasalukuyang nasa bansa para sa two-day official visit.
Sinabi ni Bautista na si Kishida “would be happy to know that the Philippine side has lived up to its commitments, that despite challenges, we are on track to what we have committed to deliver.”
Idinagdag ng Transportation chief na matagal nang sinusuportahan ng Japan ang rail expansion ng Pilipinas, partikular ang siyam na Philippine big-ticket transport infrastructure initiatives, lima sa mga ito ang railway projects, dalawang aviation, at dalawang maritime bukod pa sa ¥1.503 trillion tulong galing sa Japan.
Ang limang railway projects ay ang LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, LRT Line 2 East Extension, MRT Line 3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance, North-South Commuter Rail System, at Metro Manila Subway Project.
Ani Bautista, mula si Kishida sa bansa “with 150 years of experience in rail development, with 30,000 kilometers of rail, with 25 billion riders a year.”
“There are no better senseis than these kind, compassionate, generous, hardworking and honest people. The Philippine railways sector has been a recipient of billions of pesos in Japanese aid,” anang Transportation chief.
“PM Kishida, long before he was Prime Minister, has been instrumental in funneling Japanese assistance to the country’s ambitious rail expansion,” patuloy niya.
Ayon pa kay Bautista, nang si Kishida ay nagsisilbing Foreign Affairs Minister ng Japan noong 2017, “he was already a backer of our country’s drive to modernize our transportation system.”
“To us, Prime Minister Kishida has always been a member of the Philippine railways team. He’s all aboard,” giit ng DOTr chief.
Nakatakdang bumisita si Kishida sa subway project depot at train simulator room nito sa Valenzuela City ngayong Sabado.
Patuloy ang civil works para sa 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project.
Mayroong 17 stations, nakatakdang bawasan ng proyekto ang travel time sa pagitan ng Valenzuela City at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 mula isang oras at 30 minuto sa 35 minuto. RNT/SA
