ANTIQUE – Gov. Rhodora Cadiao plans to ask the Regional Development Council (RDC) and state-owned Panay Railways, Inc. (PRI) to include Antique in the proposed revival of the Panay railway system.
The previous Panay railway system connected only Iloilo and Capiz provinces.
“Hindi lang na sila-sila lang ulit,” said Cadiao, RDC chairperson.
The railway system will be beneficial to Antiqueños, said Cadiao, as it would shorten the travel time and transport of goods to Iloilo and to Capiz, and even that between Antique’s municipalities.
“Kasi sa amin from Anini-y town all the way to Libertad by car, travel takes five hours. With a train, mga one to two hours na lang yan,” said Cadiao.
The railway system could also make Antique’s tourist spots more accessible, the governor added.
Antique is made up of 18 towns – Anini-y, Hamtic, San Jose de Buenavista, Bugasong, Patnongon, Laua-an, Libertad, Tobias Fornier, Tibiao, Caluya, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan, San Remigio, Belison, Sibalom, Valderrama, and Barbaza.
The Panay railways started operating in 1907. Operations ceased in 1983 due to mounting losses.
The Panay railway’s original route was 117 kilometers long and included 19 permanent and 10 flag stations.
It connected the then towns of La Paz and Jaro (now districts of Iloilo City), Pavia, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, Pototan, Dingle, Dueñas, and Passi in Iloilo, and Dumarao, Dao, Panitan, Cuartero, and Loctugan in Capiz. It reached Roxas City.
In Iloilo City, the trains ended at the passenger terminal along the wharf next to the Customs House and near where the current Iloilo City Hall stands.
Trains ran across what is now the Drilon Bridge from La Paz and down the bank of the Iloilo River to Muelle Loney at the Port of Iloilo./PN
