Subic-Batangas Railway Construction Eyed for 2027 as Cornerstone of Luzon Economic Corridor

MANILA, Philippines — The government is targeting to start construction of the sprawling Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway as early as 2027, positioning the project as a “cornerstone” of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). Finance Undersecretary Maria Angela Ignacio said the proposed 250-kilometer railway could be the “clearest milestone” that the 13-country partnership could deliver over the next 12 months, with feasibility studies already underway. Ignacio stated that once these are complete, procurement and construction could start by the end of 2027 or in 2028, but the timeline will ultimately depend on the findings of the studies. “Funding for the feasibility study came from the United States and Sweden. [Construction] is really going to depend on the results of this feasibility study,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the LEC Investment Forum on Thursday. In 2025, the US Trade and Development Agency extended $3.8 million in assistance for the SCMB Railway to support work on transport modeling, port-rail integration and legal and institutional frameworks, among others. Sweden, meanwhile, granted P74 million for a feasibility study covering signaling systems and operational models for the railway. The Asian Development Bank has likewise committed $8 million for technical assistance related to the SCMB railway project. The Philippines pitched the SCMB Railway as one of the major transport projects to about 600 investors at the inaugural LEC Investment Forum. The Department of Transportation presented five projects worth at least $8.5 billion to prospective investors. These include the long-term concession for the rehabilitation of LRT-2, as well as the operation and maintenance of the North-South Commuter Railway and Metro Manila Subway. Overall, the Philippines presented at least 38 projects worth more than $20 billion to investors and business executives, according to a curated project list distributed at the forum. Among the largest is the proposed Subic-Clark Natural Gas Ecosystem, which could cost up to $6 billion and involves a liquefied natural gas pipeline and related infrastructure envisioned to support more than 2 gigawatts of baseload power capacity. A $4.1-billion package for the proposed Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite was also presented to investors. /pai