China to Fund 600-Km Rail Project: Network to enhance transport links in southern Philippines

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02:42

Commuting in the Philippine capital, Manila. Notorious for the bumper to bumper traffic and inefficient public transport. For those who live and work along the Philippine National Railway or PNR's route, however, the stress can be a little less. But these trains serve only a fraction of the city's population.

BARNABY LO MANILA "This is the first time I'm riding a Philippine National Railway train. I have to say it's not as bad as I thought it would be. But obviously it's not the most modern. It runs at a slow place. It runs only every half an hour or sometimes by the hour. But most importantly, it doesn't go too far."

Having been neglected by government for so long, these trains now service only the metro area, but they did used to travel hundreds of kilometers south of Manila, the last stop not far from Francis Carag's hometown in the Bicol region. But he's only ever taken the bus.

FRANCIS CARAG COMMUTER "The journey is long and difficult. You get to the bus station with no guarantee that you'll have a seat. Even when you do get a ticket, buses are usually packed. The entire journey is 17 hours."

Francis is hopeful though that the current government led by President Rodrigo Duterte would make good on its promise. As part of a massive infrastructure push, it plans to revive the PNR's Bicol Express.

TIMOTHY BATAN PHILIPPINE UNDERSECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS "I say reconstruction because unlike previous efforts where we were just trying to rehabilitate the older service, the current effort to revive it together with our Chinese partners is really to build a practically new connection."

China isn't just bankrolling the project; it's also providing technical expertise.

TIMOTHY BATAN PHILIPPINE UNDERSECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS "China has rolled out the most massive railroad network in the last two decades compared to all other railway jurisdictions out there. And that recent experience in rolling out really extensive railway network is what we're tapping into."

If and when the new Bicol Express becomes a reality, travel time for Francis when going home to his family may be cut in half. The country's railways chief also assures economic activity generated by the project's construction will benefit Filipinos. Barnaby Lo, CGTN, Manila.