D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) will employ up to 5,000 direct and indirect workers within the next 30 months to meet the manpower requirements of Phase 1 of the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project.

To support its railway construction activities, DMCI is also earmarking P2 billion in capital expenditures for the next two years, the bulk of which will be used to acquire construction equipment.

“Building mass transport systems and high-impact infrastructure is part of our DNA. We are very excited and grateful to be part of this game-changing project for our country,” said DMCI president and CEO Jorge A. Consunji.

The Department of Transportation recently awarded the NSCR Phase 1 contract to the joint venture of DMCI and Taisei Corporation of Japan.

The project has a total contract value of 114 billion yen or approximately P54 billion pesos based on prevailing exchange rates. It involves the construction of around 22 kilometers of elevated viaduct structures, six stations and a depot, which will be located in Valenzuela.

Designed to be completed in 42 months, NSCR Phase 1 will use the existing alignment of the Philippine National Railway (PNR), which runs from Malolos, Bulacan to Tutuban in Manila. The trains will have the maximum operating speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

Once completed, the railway will shorten travel time between Malolos and Tutuban from one hour and 30 minutes to just 35 minutes. This rail line is expected to serve 300,000 passengers daily.

NSCR Phase 1 is the 5th railway project of DMCI. The company was also involved in the construction of LRT Line 1 North Extension, LRT Line 2 East Extension, two PNR projects and the Dubai Monorail in the United Arab Emirates.

Taisei Corporation is the contractor behind the Iloilo International Airport, which was named the 12th best airport in Asia in 2017 by travel website “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports”.