Arthur Fuentes

Officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Philippine Department of Transportation inspect a section of the North-South Commuter Railway  that is under construction. Handout

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NSCR

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770359757474train.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Philippine Department of Transportation inspect a section of the North-South Commuter Railway that is under construction. Handout"/>Officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Philippine Department of Transportation inspect a section of the North-South Commuter Railway  that is under construction. Handout </div><div> </div>MANILA – Japan’s international aid agency on Friday praised the Philippine government’s progress in acquiring land for a massive multi-billion dollar railway, as Manila targets a June completion for site acquisition on the project’s northern stretch.The 147-kilometer (91-mile) North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a centerpiece of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s infrastructure drive, has faced perennial challenges regarding right-of-way. However, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported that 56 percent of the northern segment’s land has now been secured.&quot;Ang utos ng Pangulong Marcos sa atin ay bilisan ang pagtapos ng proyekto gaya ng NSCR. Kaya naman ang DOTr ay doble trabaho sa pag-acquire ng right-of-way para tuloy-tuloy at mapabilis ang konstruksyon ng proyekto para mapakinabangan na agad ng mga komyuter,&quot; said Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez.Murakami Kota, Senior Deputy Director of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), backed the accelerated timeline during a site inspection in Pampanga province on Thursday.&quot;We understand the so much effort by the DOTr, and we appreciate Acting Secretary Lopez&#x27; initiatives,&quot; Murakami said. &quot;The DOTr said they target to complete land acquisition especially the north side of the NSCR within 2026 and I think it&#x27;s key.&quot;Assistant Secretary IC Calaguas confirmed that 1,143 out of 2,034 lots have been acquired.&quot;Ito pong right-of-way and site acquisition ng North-South Commuter Railway ay pinapamadali po ni Secretary Banoy Lopez... pinapatapos po ito ni Secretary Banoy by June 2026,&quot; Calaguas added.The project involves significant social costs, with the DOTr confirming it has already paid 1,439 out of 2,448 affected informal settler families as relocation efforts continue in Central Luzon.Aside from the Metro Manila Subway Project, the NSCR is the biggest infrastructure project being built in the Philippines, which aims to reduce traffic congestion in the country&#x27;s most economically important regions.

The Department of Transportation has reported that 56 percent of the railway's northern segment’s land has now been secured.

The Department of Transportation has reported that 56 percent of the railway's northern segment’s land has now been secured.

North-South Commuter Railway right-of-way issues seeing faster resolution: DOTr

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North-South Commuter Railway right-of-way issues seeing faster resolution: DOTr

Arthur Fuentes,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 06, 2026 02:36 PM PHT

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NSCR

North-South Commuter Railway

JICA

flagship infrastructure project

DOTr

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