13 hours ago
PH, US sign technical aid deal for Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway
The Philippines has tapped the United States for technical assistance in constructing the proposed Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway project.
In a statement on Friday, the US Embassy in Manila said the American government, through the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), inked the Beneficiary Agreement for the initiative with the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr) in Arlington, Virginia on June 26, 2025.
USTDA's technical assistance for the SCMB Railway would involve transport model development, port-rail integration study, and legal and institutional framework analysis, among other areas.
The SCMB Railway is meant to link major ports in Luzon and decongest traffic at the Port of Manila.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the freight cargo railway also aims to decentralize Manila Port and provide the additional transport capacity needed at the Batangas Port and Subic Bay.
"As a freight cargo railway, the SCMB Railway is seen to solve port traffic and congestion in Manila Port, while ensuring the timely movement of products to and from adjacent major transport hubs," Dizon added.
Secretary Frederick Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, said the railway project would boost the government's plan of linking major economic hubs under the Luzon Economic Corridor.
'We are grateful for the support in advancing this crucial infrastructure project, which will drive economic growth by improving connectivity between major ports and industrial hubs along the Luzon Economic Corridor. Once operational, the SCMB Railway will attract investments, create new opportunities for businesses, and most importantly, generate quality jobs that will benefit millions of Filipinos,' Go said.
Thomas Hardy, USTDA's Acting Director, for his part, said the project underscores the US-Philippine alliance's vital role in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
'By supporting the development of the SCMB Railway, we are ensuring that key infrastructure will flourish, increasing economic cooperation to develop an essential trading route that will mutually benefit American and Philippine citizens,' said Hardy. —Ted Cordero/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
