BY IME SORNITO and GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO – The resumption of operation of the railway system in Panay Island would be a game changer, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
“This is very promising for Iloilo and Panay Island as a whole. It will improve the connectivity of the island’s provinces, make more efficient the transport of goods and make travel more convenient,” said Defensor.
He welcomed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s plan to revive the Panay railways whose original route was 117 kilometers long and 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.
“This is the backbone of the transport system or connectivity that we want to achieve. This is totally aligned with the direction that we want to pursue for Iloilo, Panay Island and whole Region 6,” said Defensor.
In 1980s when the railway system was still operational, a 12-kilometer spur was constructed from Dueñas to Calinog, Iloilo to serve a sugar refinery in Iloilo. But operations ceased in 1983 due to mounting losses.
For his part, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas said he was “elated” that Marcos wants to revive the Panay railways and continue all effective infrastructure projects in the Visayas.
In Iloilo City, Panay railway trains – when they were still in operation – used to end 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.
The President’s plan to revive them is “good news to us Ilonggos,” said Iloilo City’s Cong. Julienne Baronda.
While the railway system in Panay Island ceased operating in 1983, its operator, the state-owned Panay Railways, Inc. (PRI), remains.
Just last month, its chief operations officer Cesar Capellan revealed that in May a company from England, Global Wealth Centres, expressed interest in the railway revival.
Among the other companies that signified interest much earlier were the Philtrak consortium (a local company), China Railway International, and Anametrics Holding Limited from Marshall Islands.
Capellan said Philtrak was proposing a modern public transport system using the electric road train (ERT) technology developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
This is 50-percent cheaper compared to the transport system that the Chinese company proposed, he added.
The revival of the Panay railway system will be good for the region’s economy, he stressed.
“There will be more jobs, infrastructures…so many good things will happen,” said Capellan.
A revived railway system will complement the mega Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridges project, he added.
In his first State of the Nation Address in July 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte said he was eyeing the revival of Panay Island’s railway system. But it nothing happened.
Capellan said the Marcos administration may explore public-private partnership (PPP) or build-operate-transfer (BOT) schemes for the railway revival.
PRI PROJECT BRIEF
Called the Integrated Panay Railway System, Phase I of the project is from lloilo City to Roxas City, Capiz and Phase II will be from Roxas City, Capiz to Caticlan, Aklan.
For Phase 1, the existing length of track or right of way from Iloilo City to Roxas City, Capiz, involves 117.36 kilometers.
There are four Main Stations and 12 Secondary Stations with nine Flag Stations.
Aside from the rehabilitation of the railway system, there are other related project components for commercial/residential development projects and a power or energy facility.
The estimated project cost for Phase I is US$4 billion, inclusive of costs for commercial and residential condominium buildings or similar infrastructure projects. But this project cost should be re-computed at the current cost of development and/or rehabilitation.
The width of the existing railway alignment is 30 meters with the length of 117.36 kilometers with one Long Distance Bridge and 44 Short Distance Bridges.
With the intended main stations in La Paz, Iloilo City, and Santa Barbara, Iloilo, the railway system will require a monorail system within Iloilo City to Pavia town and Santa Barbara in Iloilo province, with spur lines, also by monorail system to the Iloilo International Port (6.4 kilometers) and or Dumangas, Iloilo seaport Area (eight kilometers), and the Iloilo Airport (4.5 kilometers).
For the Phase II, there is no existing track or right of way from Roxas City, Capiz, to Caticlan, Aklan. The right of way has to be purchased or expropriated. This will involve 141.00 kilometers.
The proposal for Phase II involves three Main Stations and 14 14 Secondary Stations with 10 Flag Stations./PN
