The Mindanao Railway Project has again faced uncertainty after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) confirmed that no funds were allocated for it in the agency’s proposed ₱197 billion budget for 2026.
The issue surfaced during Senate budget deliberations when Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa asked about the status of the long-delayed project.
DOTr Assistant Secretary Eduardo Macabulos said the agency is still updating the project’s feasibility study to ensure readiness should new financiers enter the picture. He explained that an updated study is needed to provide accurate data on where and how the project will proceed.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez added that it would be prudent to allocate funds at least for the Project Management Office and right-of-way acquisition, even if financing for the entire railway has not yet been secured. He described these preparatory steps as essential to moving the project forward.
The project has faced setbacks in recent years. In October 2023, then-Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista announced that the Philippine government had abandoned China’s financing offer for the railway, citing the lack of clear progress.
The planned Phase 1 of the railway, covering the 100.2-kilometer Tagum–Davao–Digos segment, was estimated in 2021 to cost ₱81.6 billion and include eight stations.
With no funds allocated in 2026, the future of the Mindanao Railway remains uncertain, leaving Mindanao stakeholders questioning whether one of the region’s most anticipated infrastructure projects will move forward at all.
