‘Work on railway project in Oro to proceed’

CAGAYAN de Oro City will become a major component of the third phase of the long-gestating Mindanao Railway Project which found a funding partner, Mayor Rolando Uy confirmed today.

During his Friday program, Mayor Uy said officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTR) visited his office last Tuesday along with a prospective funding partner whom he didn’t name.

Mayor Uy previously created a technical working committee for the project covering the city’s component phase.

Uy said the DOTR confirmed that Cagayan de Oro City will be prioritized in Phase 3 of the Mindanao Railway Project because they saw the city’s huge potential to draw commuters from Misamis Oriental.

“They will prioritize the construction of the Cagayan de Oro-Laguindingan route and Cagayan de Oro-Villanueva routes,” Mayor Uy said in Visayan.

Mayor Uy said the Mindanao Railway Project would complement his administration’s ‘smart metropolization’ initiatives for Cagayan de Oro City.

The Mindanao Railway Project is a flagship project under the national government’s ‘Build Better’ program as well as its Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

Previously Roads and Traffic Administration chief Engr. Nonito Oclarit said the technical committee tasked by Mayor Klarex will revisit the technical plans covering the Villanueva to Laguindingan routes of the Mindanao Railway project. Cagayan de Oro City will serve as the main station for the railway project’s Villanueva-Laguindingan route.

Aside from the Mindanao Railway Project, the technical committee is also tasked to study the feasibility of the Metro CDO Light Railway Transit project.

Both Oclarit and Mayor Uy said the two transport projects would serve as major transport and economic drivers for the city, bringing in commuters from all over Misamis Oriental province to the city. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)