PNR Malolos to Clark segment to generate 7,000 jobs

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade reiterated that job opportunities are available for Filipinos as the construction of various infrastructure projects are underway, such as the massive North-South Commuter Railway’s (NSCR) Malolos-Clark segment, which opened a total of 7,000 direct jobs.
During the inspection of the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark Segment) project today, 18 September 2021, Sec. Tugade highlighted the employment benefits of the railway project which will give priority to local hiring.

“I have been stressing this and I want to make sure that under the Build, Build, Build, we shall prioritize the employment of former Overseas Filipino Workers and transport workers to guarantee the inclusivity of this project,” Secretary Tugade said in his message, which was delivered by DOTr Undersecretary for Finance Giovanni Lopez.

The PNR Clark Phase 2 forms part of the massive 147-km NSCR line, which will have 35 stations, and shall operate 464 train cars, with 58 8-car train sets configuration.

To note, apart from the 7,000 direct jobs that opened during the construction phase of the PNR Clark Phase 2, around 3,000 more job opportunities will be generated once the project becomes operational. Moreover, for the whole NSCR line, over 25,000 direct job opportunities will be generated during its construction, while 10,000 jobs are expected to provide employment to the people.

For a mega infrastructure project such as the NSCR, the Japanese government as well as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), which will co-finance the project, commended the DOTr for ensuring that construction works continue despite present challenges and global crisis.

In his message, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko stressed the important benefits of the NSCR to Filipinos, including the improvement of connectivity surrounding Metro Manila, and the convenience it will provide to commuters.

"On top of these, the benefit of this project will extend as far as creating many job opportunities. A total of allowance 10,000 new jobs are expected during its construction and once operations begin," Ambassador Kazuhiko said.

As of July 2021, PNR Clark Phase 2 recorded an overall progress rate of 32%, while PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban to Malolos segment), is now 48% complete.

The PNR Clark project features the country’s first-ever airport railway express service, which will surely unlock economic growth and employment potentials of Central Luzon, especially Bulacan and Pampanga.

"This project is going to be incredibly important to the economic recovery and particularly in this region. So, you can imagine you got a lot of employment that's being created, a lot of supply contracts - so this is the direct effects. And then there's the indirect effects - the second round of effects - the creating of new income opportunities for the region," ADB Country Director Kelly Bird meanwhile said.

“This project is also one of the prime examples of JICA-ADB partnership for financing quality infrastructure. We are amazed by the fast and continuous progress of the project amidst the pandemic,” JICA Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa expressed.

Meanwhile, proving that job opportunities are at hand, two (2) returning overseas workers gave their testimonies and encouraged others to take advantage of the employment opportunities under the government’s Build, Build, Build program.

“I am an OFW for around of 18 years already, and when I heard about this PNR project, which my parent company is one of the contractors— the Hyundai Engineering— I was amazed and very much interested to come back to the Philippines for this one,” said Melvin Avellana, a former OFW in Singapore.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this company (Acciona-EEI JV), which develops and manages infrastructure solutions in one of the most important projects in my home country. I told my family and friends back in Dubai not to be afraid to come back because there are opportunities, and I am happy to be back home,” Reynalyn Garcia shared who was an OFW for 15 years in the United Arab of Emirates.

Progress of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project under the Build, Build, Build Infrastructure Program.

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

As construction works for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 2 Project begin, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa and Asian Development Bank Country Director Kelly Bird lauded Transportation Secretary Art Tugade for the visible and rapid progress of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project under the Build, Build, Build Infrastructure Program. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, transportation projects improving the lives of Filipinos are being launched with Secretary Tugade leading the way, Ambassador Kazuhiko said.

“Despite the challenging pandemic situation, important milestones in our transport project have been launched one after another. This is due in large part of the strong leadership of Secretary Tugade—for which we are truly grateful,” the Japanese Ambassador explained during the site inspection of the PNR Clark Phase 2 Project at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Kazuhiko said the PNR Clark Phase 2 Project is a “symbol of the Japanese and Filipino collaboration.”

With the NSCR Project in full swing, Ambassador Kazuhiko said the Japanese government will continue to promote transfer of technology, maintenance knowledge, and promotion Filipino human capital for the railway operations of the NSCR.

“Time and again, we commit our continuous support to President Duterte’s Build, Build, Build Program. Japan will further commit cooperation such as the procurement of rolling stocks and development of railroad system through JICA-ODA support,” he said.

ADB Country Director Bird likewise expressed his gratitude to Secretary Tugade for bringing the NSCR Project into fruition while committing the financial institution’s continued support for other government big-ticket projects.

“I would like to thank Secretary Tugade for his amazing leadership in bringing this project to where it is today. I would also like to reiterate that the Asian Development Bank will always remain committed to the Philippines as our host country and we will continue to support the Philippines not only to overcome the current challenges with COVID-19 but also on its journey to becoming an upper-middle income country very soon,” Bird said.

“And here today, we are seeing for ourselves the commencement of civil works [for PNR Clark Phase 2]. It’s been a fantastic journey for ADB, with the Department of Transportation and the government of Japan in bringing this amazing project to commencement,” he added.

JICA Chief Representative Azukizawa echoed the Ambassador’s sentiments, explaining that the NSCR’s progress is “impressive” even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is indeed an impressive achievement for the Department of Transportation and Philippine National Railways. This is the product of our concerted efforts, strong collaboration and leadership under Secretary Tugade, which we remarkably achieved amidst the raging spread of COVID-19,” the JICA official said.

“We are amazed by the fast and continued progress of the project amid the pandemic,” Azukizawa added.

The second leg of the NSCR Project, the 53-kilometer PNR Clark Phase 2, will connect cities and municipalities in Central Luzon with Metro Manila, and will link the railway system with the country’s first ever Airport Express Service to the Clark International Airport.

Once operational, the PNR Clark Phase 2 will reduce travel time between Makati City and Clark International Airport in less than two hours through the Airport Express Service.

The NSCR Project is the single largest financing project of the ADB not only in the Philippines, but also across its member states, and at the same time the longest greenfield commuter railway project of JICA.

PLDT, Meralco hypercollaborate to power up Hyperscaler initiative of the country

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The PLDT and Meralco Group are strengthening its collaboration to further uplift the country’s digital and power infrastructure, as the Philippines gets into the radar of global hyperscalers as the next prospective destination in Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific region.

Jovy I. Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head of PLDT and Smart Enterprise and International Business Groups, said that hyper-collaboration among industry enablers such as PLDT and Meralco is vital, to ensure that the elevated standards sought by these hyperscalers are met and complied with, and this has been evident between the PLDT and Meralco Group in the past years.

“PLDT continues to work with Meralco for the power grid design and renewable energy requirements of our data centers. These enhancements allow us to anticipate the specifications fit for hyperscaler, such as multiple grid terminations for redundancy and sustainable design,” Hernandez said.

Taking into consideration the hypergrowth that comes with the influx of these global cloud and content players, ePLDT has set out a clear roadmap for its VITRO data centers that includes fortifying its data center design and facilities, diversifying its network infrastructure, and bringing sustainability at the core of its operations.

Likewise, the company is currently teaming up with the energy sector to help drive the renewable energy thrust of hyperscalers.

"We continue to incorporate green innovations and practices into our ways of doing and partner with relevant organizations to harness renewable energy that will soon power our data center facilities and ultimately, the hyperscaler market," Hernandez added.

As a technology enabler, the group also recognizes its obligation to ensure the Philippines’ competitiveness to help attract the right investments to the country, said the PLDT executive.

“As the country’s only fully integrated telco, the PLDT group is making an unbreakable commitment to continue investing in the most advanced technologies to enhance our digital infrastructure and comply with the evolving demands of the market,” Hernandez highlighted.

Meanwhile, Meralco Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Executive Officer of eSakay Raymond B. Ravelo said Meralco recognizes its role to spur and support the growth of hyperscalers by delivering not only reliable and high-quality energy but also “earth-friendly” power.

“We in Meralco are committed to working shoulder-to-shoulder with our government, our colleagues in the MVP group of companies, and fellow stakeholders in the Philippine energy sector and business community, as we all do our part in transforming our country into a regional hyperscaler powerhouse,” Ravelo said.

He also outlined Meralco’s comprehensive sustainability agenda supporting the government’s thrust for economic growth and sustainable prosperity. This encompasses the company’s four sustainability pillars ̶ Planet, People, Power, and Prosperity.

“As we embark on a just, orderly, and affordable transition to clean energy, we aim to secure 1,500MW of our power requirements in the next five years from renewable energy sources. Furthermore, through Meralco PowerGen Corporation, and its renewable energy arm, MGreen, we will build up to 1,500MW of clean energy capacity through 2027,” the Meralco executive said.

The PLDT and Meralco Group recently joined the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Board of Investments (BOI) for the government’s push to invite leading technology service providers to expand their operations in the Philippines.

The hyper collaboration between key private and public entities is seen to bolster further and drive the country’s digital agenda. In particular, PLDT and Meralco’s partnership is aimed towards achieving a common goal which is delivering world-class and sustainable data center services to global hyperscalers through the use of renewable energy.

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com and hyperscalers.ph.