RAILWAY REVIVAL PRACTICAL? | Previous study showed it’s not viable, says NEDA

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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Wednesday, March 22, 2017
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ILOILO City – A previous study conducted on the revival of Panay Island’s railway system showed such proposal was not feasible, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region 6.

But despite the study’s results, the Regional Development Council (RDC) still endorsed the railway’s revival, said Regional Director Ro-ann Bacal of NEDA.

Kasi syempre kailangan natin ng transportation, lalo na at that time pangit pa ‘yung national roads natin,” explained Bacal.

She did not say when the feasibility study was conducted.

Just this March 18, Panay Railways, Inc. (PRI) and China Railway International Group Limited (CRIGL) signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation for a new feasibility study on the plan.

“With a (new) feasibility study to be submitted again for evaluation, titingnan na naman namin. Kasi (previously) parang lumalabas na hindi feasible,” said Bacal.

The Beijing-based CRIGL has been tasked to come up with the results of the study within two months. PRI will forward it to Malacañang, the NEDA central office and Department of Transportation.

“Now that expanded na ‘yung roads natin, tingnan natin kung ano ‘yung results ng (new) feasibility study,” said Bacal.

The railway’s original route was 117 kilometers long and included 19 permanent and 10 flag stations. It connected the then towns of La Paz and Jaro (now districts of Iloilo City), Pavia, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, Pototan, Dingle, Dueñas, and Passi in Iloilo, and Dumarao, Dao, Panitan, Cuartero, and Loctugan in Capiz. It reached Roxas City.

In Iloilo City, the trains ended at the passenger terminal along the wharf next to the Customs House and near where the current fast ferry terminal and the Iloilo City Hall. Trains ran across what is now the Drilon Bridge from La Paz and down the bank of the Iloilo River to Muelle Loney at the Port of Iloilo.

In 1980s, a 12-kilometer spur was constructed from Dueñas to Calinog, Iloilo to serve a sugar refinery in Iloilo. Operations ceased in 1983.

In his first State of the Nation Address last year, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed he was eyeing the revival of Panay Island’s railway system within his six-year presidential term.

He drew laughter from the audience when he joked about an unnamed rival in the presidential elections who came from Panay Island.

In a 2012 interview, then Transportation secretary Mar Roxas expressed opposition to the revival of the Panay railway system.

“We have already studied this and it would be uneconomical, unviable and a waste of people’s money,” said Roxas then.

Because the products of Iloilo and Capiz were similar, the railway system would not significantly contribute to trade between the two provinces, he explained.

Roxas also claimed there was adequate transportation service between Iloilo and Capiz.

 

“Who will ride a train that will have one trip a day?” he asked./PN

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