Senate Prefers PH to Partner on Railway Projects With Japan Instead of China

Multiple senators during Tuesday’s plenary session stated that they would rather partner with Japan than China in building the nation’s railway projects.

Senator JV Ejercito urged the government to strengthen its railway projects, claiming they could serve as the “backbone of the economy.”

Ejercito’s appeal drew support from Senators Grace Poe and Risa Hontiveros, who then questioned the government’s choice of partnering with China instead of Japan for different railway projects.

This comes as Japan has a loan interest rate of 0.01 percent, compared to China’s rate of 3 percent.

Senator Poe emphasized in her interpellation of Senator Ejercito’s speech the need to not burden taxpayers.
“It’s not just about the construction of railways. We need to bridge our regions that will not unduly burden our taxpayers,” Poe said.

Poe added that the choice between China and Japan is clear.

“Remember, China is going to charge us 3 percent interest, whereas Japan will only charge 0.01 percent. It’s clear as day when it comes to competence, deliveries, the projects they had in the past as well as the amount of interest that we’re going to pay–the choice should have been very clear,” Senator Poe said further.

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed her dismay over the slow implementation of railway projects around the country and added that the country is in need of a railway system that will last decades.

“Whatever we do today should be something that prepares our next generation, yung mga apo na natin, mga great grandchildren natin, that they will be able to use this, hindi parang kotse na kailangan palitan, sabi nga after 3 years palit. Ako hindi naman ako nagpapalit after 3 years, pero you know like the train systems that we see in Europe and other countries, deka-dekada buhay pa,” Senator Hontiveros said.

Ejercito then stressed the importance of rehabilitating the Panay and Cebu railways, along with the continuation of other railway projects which include the Subic-Clark Railway Project, Mindanao Railway Network Phase 1 which will link Tagum, Davao del Norte, Davao City and Digos, and Davao del Sur; the Metro Manila Subway Project, the South Long Haul, and the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) which includes the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban to Malolos), PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos to Clark), PNR Calamba (Solis to Calamba). (GFB)