A long-delayed railway that would link key military bases and economic hubs in the Philippines has been resurrected – this time with the backing of the United States and Japan, replacing an earlier plan funded by China that quietly fell through.
Analysts see the railway’s revival as part of broader efforts by the US and Japan to counter China’s regional influence, positioning the project as both a trade route and a strategic asset that enhances their military and security ties with the Philippines.
The 212km (132-mile) Subic–Clark–Manila–Batangas (SCMB) Railway is now set to become the central spine of the Luzon Economic Corridor – a flagship initiative launched in April of last year by the US, Japan and the Philippines to enhance regional infrastructure and supply-chain connectivity.
On Friday, the US embassy in Manila said Washington would kick-start the project by funding technical help through the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), though it did not specify the amount.
“The railway is envisioned to be the backbone of the Luzon Economic Corridor, which will accelerate critical infrastructure investment and drive economic transformation in the Philippines,” the USTDA said.
Thomas Hardy, the agency’s acting director, said the project underscored the “vital role” of the US-Philippines alliance in keeping the Indo-Pacific “free and open”, and would help create “an essential trading route that will mutually benefit American and Philippine citizens”.
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