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The feasibility study for the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway is targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2028
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A partial FS for approval by the Economy and Development Council is eyed for completion next year while the complete study, which includes the project’s conceptual design, is eyed for 2028
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The detailed engineering design is eyed for 2029 to 2030, while there is no timeline yet for construction
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SCMB Railway has an indicative project cost of P657.75 billion (or US$11.34 billion)
The feasibility study (FS) for the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway is targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2028, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
A partial FS for approval by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development’s Economy and Development Council is eyed for completion next year while the full study, which includes the project’s conceptual design, should be done by 2028.
“So by that time (2028), the goal is not only to have a complete FS but an investment approval for the project so we can proceed to the next steps, which are essentially detailed engineering design (DED), right-of-way procurement, and then construction after,” DOTr assistant secretary for railways Eduardo Danilo Macabulos said in an interview with media on the sidelines of the recent Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Investors Forum.
According to Macabulos’ presentation, the railway has an indicative project cost of P657.75 billion (US$11.34 billion), including related infrastructure within the LEC framework.
The DED is eyed for 2029 to 2030, while there is no timeline yet for construction.
There are several FS for the project, supported by three project development partners, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and Sweden’s development finance institution, Swedfund.
Based on a DOTr presentation last year, ADB, USTDA, and Swedfund have committed $8 million, $3.3 million, and $1.1 million, respectively, as funding for assistance for the project.
The main feasibility study by the ADB-procured consultant started last March, while the complementary studies on particular portions of the project will be funded by the USTDA and Swedfund.
READ: US approves $3.8M loan for SCMB railway project study
The USTDA in June 2025 signed the funding for technical assistance, with Virginia-based The Cadmus Group LLC tapped for the contract.
Cadmus has already been mobilized to provide technical expertise on the model survey, port rail integration, regulatory legal analysis, and developmental impact analysis, among other areas.
Last February, Cadmus met with the Anti-Red Tape Authority to discuss regulatory matters related to the project, regulatory bottlenecks affecting infrastructure and corridor-based investments.
READ: Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas freight rail regulatory issues tackled
The proposed 212-kilometer freight rail is envisioned to be the backbone of the LEC, a trilateral initiative of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines that focuses investment in transportation and logistics, energy, digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing along the economic corridor stretching from Subic Bay and Clark through Manila to Batangas. It has since expanded to include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Spain, as partner nations.
The SCMB Railway will decentralize port activity, ease freight congestion, and enable potential passenger services in the future. The project complements broader efforts under the LEC to enhance connectivity and economic resilience across key logistics hubs, alongside contributions from regional allies and partners like Japan.—Roumina Pablo
