Photo credit: LRMC

It is ironic that the major headache hounding the much-awaited North South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is the very same problem to which it just might be one of the solutions: the issue of informal settlers that Metro Manila has been grappling with for decades.

The NSCR is a 147-kilometer railway that will one day connect Calamba City in the south with New Clark City in the north. It will pass through several points in Metro Manila, effectively covering multiple provinces: Laguna, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac, along with key areas in the National Capital Region. This dream rail transportation system will also feature an airport express service starting at its Buendia Extension and ending at Clark International Airport, promising to cut travel time by 50 percent with some of the fastest trains in Southeast Asia.

According to the latest update from Department of Transportation (DOTr), much progress has been made in phase one of the project, which runs from the northern tip of Metro Manila to Clark. The foundations of the elevated rail system and several stations are already up in many areas in Bulacan and Pampanga.

However, the project encountered significant hurdles when phase two began a few weeks ago. This phase covers the portion of the old Philippine National Railways (PNR) alignment that passes through Metro Manila, where the DOTr faced its biggest challenge: illegal structures along the PNR right-of-way. These structures, mostly houses set up by informal settlers, need to be removed to ensure safety and provide the necessary space for the NSCR railway.

A PNR official estimated that about 13,000 illegal structures would have to be demolished. Under existing laws, each owner of these structures must be notified, consulted, relocated, compensated, and given financial assistance and livelihood opportunities—a long and tedious process further complicated by the lack of cooperation and outright obstruction by some barangay executives.

The good news is that the DOTr has managed to secure support from key local government executives. With the cooperation of previously obstructive barangay officials, phase two of the NSCR project is now progressing.

This situation highlights an irony: the NSCR, which initially faced resistance from informal settlers, may ultimately offer a solution to the problem of urban migration that fuels the proliferation of informal settlements in Metro Manila.

A few years ago, the UP Institute of Population conducted a study revealing that poverty is the main impetus for migration, with job-seeking being a key reason for Filipinos moving from rural to urban areas. As most economic opportunities are concentrated in the National Capital Region, many migrate there, often ending up in informal settlements due to the high cost of housing.

The United Nations-Habitat Philippines' 2023 report underscores the gravity of this issue, estimating that there are about 3.7 million informal settler families in the country, with over half a million residing in Metro Manila. Many live alongside the PNR right-of-way.

To address this problem, the government must incentivize "reverse migration"—encouraging people to move back to the countryside. However, this requires reliable and comfortable transportation to their places of work.

This is precisely what the NSCR aims to provide. With high-speed trains, people can live in areas as far as San Fernando, Pampanga, or Angeles City while working in Taguig or Makati, confident they will arrive on time and refreshed.

The NSCR is also expected to spur the growth of commercial and business hubs outside of Metro Manila. Although there are emerging hubs in Laguna, Bulacan, and Pampanga, current transportation options are limited to private vehicles or public buses, both of which are expensive and prone to traffic jams.

A reliable rail system like the NSCR could attract investors to expand in these potential hubs, knowing that their employees and executives will have a dependable means of transportation.

In conclusion, while the NSCR faces challenges, it holds the promise of alleviating urban migration woes, making it a key player in the future development of the Philippines.