The United States is stepping up its infrastructure support in the Philippines by funding technical assistance for the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway, a key component of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). The agreement, signed between the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr), is aimed at accelerating the development of a 132-mile rail line connecting major economic hubs—Clark International Airport and the ports of Subic, Manila, and Batangas.
USTDA will provide assistance in transport modeling, port-rail integration, and legal and institutional planning. Virginia-based Cadmus Group LLC has been selected to deliver the technical support. The initiative is expected to meet Asian Development Bank requirements and help mobilize broader financing for project implementation.
USTDA Acting Director Thomas R. Hardy said the SCMB Railway strengthens the US-Philippines strategic partnership and promotes regional economic resilience. The railway is projected to open up significant opportunities for US exports in high-tech rail systems and services, while improving freight movement, decentralizing port activities, and enabling future passenger transport.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon called the project “transformative,” noting that it will modernize logistics infrastructure, ease congestion in Metro Manila, and stimulate economic growth. The railway forms part of the broader LEC initiative supported by the US, Japan, and other regional partners to enhance connectivity and trade in the Indo-Pacific.
(Source: The Philippine Daily Inquirer)
