Balagtas railway station now 95% complete

The Balagtas Station of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) in Bulacan province is nearing completion, with 95 percent of the infrastructure already built. (Photo: Department of Transportation – Philippines/Facebook)

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Balagtas Station of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) in Bulacan province is nearing completion, with 95 percent of the infrastructure already built.

During a site inspection of the project on Thursday, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista highlighted the “state-of-the-art” facilities of the building, particularly its environment-friendly roofing material.

The roof, made of polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, is similar to those used in many Japanese train stations due to its resistance to high temperature and chemical corrosion and allows for easy maintenance.

It is also lightweight, flexible, and translucent—allowing natural light to illuminate the platform instead of using electrical lights during daytime.

“This is really part of what we call the railway renaissance in the Philippines,” Bautista said.

The 180-meter-long station includes a concourse and platform, two elevators, six escalators, and gender-inclusive facilities such as PWD and senior citizen accessibilities.

Afterward, Bautista also inspected the 14-hectare NSCR Malanday depot that houses four large buildings and various facilities such as the NSCR’s Operation Control Center (OCC).

As of the end of June, the depot is 72.1 percent complete.