



will soon be started by the middle of President Duterte Administration’s term. But as early as this month, they have been eager to jumpstart the Railway System development that will involve the construction of circumferential railway system that will be built in six phases and at present a feasibility study on the railway system is being conducted which is expected to be finished by the end of August.The first phase of the Mindanao Railway System would be in Region 10 Area and it will be the construction of a line from Iligan,and Misamis Oriental which will cover a 124.65-kilometer single and double track rail mainline from the municipality of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental to municipality of Linamon, Lanao del Norte. The first phase is intentionally for the benefit of theThe second phase is a system from Nasipit in Agusan del Norte to Surigao City.The third phase will run from Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur to Tagum in Davao del Norte.Next will be from General Santos City to Cotabato City, then another railway system will be built from Aurora in Zamboanga del Sur to Zamboanga City. Then there will be another line from Cagayan de Oro to Malungon in Sarangani for passengers that will cross from Northern Mindanao to Southern Mindanao area, vice versa. That means thatwill be the main point railway station of the Mindanao Railway System.The allocated budget for the Mindanao Railway System will be about 86 Billion pesos.Last week on the Senate, Senator Sonny Angara filed a bill creating the state-owned Mindanao Railway Corporation that will have an authorized capital stock of P1 billion, with an 11-person board, all appointed by the President. MindaRail will locate its offices in Davao City.“Establishing the MindaRail would allow the island’s urban centers and growth corridors such as the cities of Davao, General Santos, Butuan,, Cotabato, Malaybalay to be linked by rail,” Angara said.Teresita Socorro Ramos, NEDA regional director, said in an interview that the Mindanao Railway System will improve connectivity among the different regions which in turn increase the level of exchange in terms of goods, products, and people.She explained that when there is greater mobility, economic growth will follow and tourism is enhanced because people can transfer easily from one place to another.Business will also grow as the railway will have several stopovers where businesses will be established, she added.