The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Philippine National Railways (PNR) is suspending its Governor Pascual-Tutuban and Tutuban-Alabang operations in order to accelerate the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project. The suspension of operations will commence on March 28, 2024.
During the suspension of operations in Metro Manila, the construction of the NSCR will be expedited by eight months, and save at least PHP 15.18 billion from the project.
According to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, PNR services will be suspended to ensure passengers are safe while construction of the NSCR is ongoing.
DOTr, together with the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), arranged alternative bus routes to cater to passengers who will be affected. Buses on the Tutuban to Alabang route and vice versa are expected to drop off and pick up passengers near the current PNR route.
The southbound buses will pass through Divisoria (Tutuban), Mayhaligue Street, Abad Santos Avenue, Recto Avenue, Legarda Street, Quirino Avenue, Nagtahan Flyover, Mabini Bridge, Quirino Avenue, Osmeña Highway, Nichols Entry, SLEX, Bicutan Exit, Bicutan Entry, and Alabang (Starmall).
The northbound buses will pass through Alabang (Starmall), Manila South Road, East Service Road, Alabang (Entry), SLEX, Bicutan Exit, Bicutan Entry, Nichols Exit, Osmeña Highway, Quirino Avenue, Legarda Street, Recto Avenue, Abad Santos Avenue, Mayhaligue Street, and Divisoria (Tutuban).
The bus trips on the Tutuban-Alabang (Southbound) route will start at 7:30 AM, 9:10 AM, 3:00 PM, 3:20 PM, 7:30 PM, and 9:00 PM. On the other hand, the bus trips on the Alabang-Tutuban (Northbound) route will start at 5:00 AM, 6:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:45 AM, 5:00 PM, and 6:10 PM.
NSCR, a state-of-the-art 147-kilometer rail line, is expected to shorten travel time from Clark, Pampanga, all the way to Calamba, Laguna by less than two hours. Expected to accommodate 800,000 passengers per day, the NSCR will decongest Metro Manila traffic, and strengthen economic growth in the cities and municipalities it will be passing through.