THE Appropriations Committee of the Philippines House of Representatives has earmarked an initial Pesos 6.58bn ($US 129m) in funding for the first phase of a 2000km railway on the island of Mindanao.

KOREA’s national train operator Korail has be awarded a Won 5bn ($US 4.3m) consultancy contract for Manila metro Line MRT-7 from San Miguel Holdings’ subsidiary Universal LRT, which is implementing the project.

THE transportation undersecretary of the Philippines, Mr Cesar Chavez, announced on July 3 that construction will start in the second quarter of 2018 on the first phase of a project to build a 2000km railway on the island of Mindanao.

THE Philippines’ transport secretary Mr Arthur Tugade attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Parañaque City on May 4 to mark the official start of construction on the 11.7km southern extension of Line LRT1 to Bacoor in Cavite province.

THE Philippines government announced on January 12 that construction of the 38km Manila - Malolos line, which is part of the Phillippines president, Mr Rodrigo Duerte’s plan to upgrade the ageing infrastructure network, will start in the fourth quarter of 2017.

THE government of the Philippines has reopened bidding to Japanese companies for the supply of 120 new LRVs for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 in Manila after it abandoned a previous tender in March 2016.

THE Japanese government announced on August 12 that it will provide a $US 2.4bn loan for a new railway in the Philippines in order to ease Manila’s traffic difficulties.

THE Infrastructure Committee of the Philippines National Economic Development Authority (Neda) has approved the adoption of standard gauge for all future railway projects in the country.

KOREA’s national train operator Korail was awarded a contract on August 1 to provide consultancy services for the design of Manila metro Line MRT-7 in cooperation with San Miguel Holdings subsidiary Universal LRT, which is implementing the project.

THE president of the Philippines Mr Benigno Aquino III officially launched construction of Manila metro Line MRT-7 at a groundbreaking ceremony in Quezon City on April 20.