The Mindanao Railway Project is moving forward with the relocation of 178 families to make way for the construction of the long-delayed railway line, as the Department of Transportation releases P148 million for the transfer of families to the newly developed “Tagum Train Village.” The project aims to transform travel and economic activity on the island, with the initial phase covering the 100-kilometer Tagum-Davao-Digos segment, which is expected to cut travel times and open new economic corridors. Despite facing multiple setbacks, including the withdrawal of Chinese funding, the government remains committed to the project and is exploring private sector partnerships to move it forward, with the Asian Development Bank conducting a new feasibility study and the Public-Private Partnership Center evaluating the proposed Northern Mindanao Railway. The project has a long history, dating back to 1936, and has undergone several revival attempts, but the current plan calls for a 1,544-kilometer network, eventually expanding to 2,278 kilometers of track, with the initial phase originally slated for partial operation in 2022 and full completion projected in the 2030s.
