The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) extended the deadline of the submission of pre-qualification (PQ) documents of the North-South Railway Project – South Line. In a general bid bulletin released by the agency today, the October 15 scheduled submission date was moved to December 1. This is due to the request of bidders for extension.
The change of PQ submission date will provide sufficient time for prospective bidders to prepare their qualification documents for the Php 170.7 billion (USD 3.79 billion) rail project, a keystone transport project of the Philippine government.
The Project is expected to be the sole rail backbone connecting Metro Manila to currently underserved areas in Southern Luzon. It will revive and improve the existing railway to provide enhanced passenger transport services and encourage more economic activities.
The proposed NSRP South Line PPP covers Metro Manila to Legazpi City, Albay, plus a number of existing and proposed branch lines totaling to approximately 653 km. It consists of commuter railway operations between Tutuban and Calamba and long haul railway operations between Tutuban and Legazpi, including extended long haul rail operations on the branch line between Calamba and Batangas and extension between Legazpi and Matnog.
Last September 18, DOTC together with the PPP Center (PPPC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and CPCS Transcom Limited (CPCS) conducted a roadshow in Singapore to attract more investors to participate in the NSRP- South Line Project. A number of foreign companies showed up and expressed their interest in the PPP project.
