CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The local government of San Fernando proposes the construction of an additional station and linkage to the city proper, as part of the Malolos-Clark Railway Project.
Mayor Edwin Santiago said the proposals aim to maximize the potential of the railway project, and are expected to significantly contribute to the further development of the city.
The additional station, he said, will be put up in Barangay Sindalan as it is strategically located at the center of San Fernando and houses more than 230,000 individuals during daytime that account for at least 21 percent of the city’s total population.
“This is a strategic location for our proposed second station. Sindalan is also home to several commercial and residential developments, including banks, restaurants, and high-end residential areas and it provides fast access to other key areas such as private and public centers and major highways,” Santiago said.
Meanwhile, the mayor added that a straight linkage from city proper to Capital Town will promote both walking and mass transport.
For his part, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan expressed support to the city’s proposal, adding that part of the objective in all stations is to be able to connect them to the places where people go and come from.
“The partnership between the national and local government is really a key to maximize the potential benefits of the project. If the number of people living or working in those areas is good, we will connect the stations properly,” Batan said.
With this, Department of Transportation presented to the city government the options in realizing the two projects including planning, budgeting, and actual construction phases.
The two parties also agreed to create a technical working group that will further review the proposals.
It can be recalled that on January 8, 2021, Santiago also called a meeting with the railway project’s contractors where the details of the exact railway project locations, the projects’ lengths, and the civil works descriptions were discussed.
The whole stretch of the 53.1-kilometer railway project which connects Malolos, Bulacan with Clark Freeport Zone and Clark International Airport is to be completed by 2024.