The project includes the manufacture of seven express trains, each one consisting of eight cars including the fleet spares.
The contract is one of the packages of the macro project for the North-South Commuter Railway Project which will connect the Clark International Airport (northwest of Manila) which serves as one of the country's principal entry hubs for international flights with the province of Laguna (southern part of Luzon). The project is worth €150m, and it is financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
DOTr is the primary government institution in charge of the country's transport systems and services and is also responsible for managing all infrastructure projects (roads, railways, ports, airports, etc.). Its primary goal is to drive economic growth and improve the country's competitiveness by planning and developing modern and efficient transport systems.
The new line, which will be managed by the Department of Transportation in partnership with the Philippine National Railways (PNR), forms part of the national initiative to improve transportation in the surrounding areas of the Philippine capital city (in this case the route to the airport), reduce road traffic, and prevent major traffic jams in the metropolitan area, all forming part of the framework of the Philippine government's policy to achieve more sustainable transport.
In recent years, the CAF Group has established a close strategic relationship with Mitsubishi Corporation, having undertaken numerous railway projects. Highlights include supplying rolling stock for Line 1 of the Manila Light Rail Transit System, also in the Philippines, automatic units for the Istanbul Metro, and constructing a transport system in the Australian City of Canberra.