THE Mindanao Railway Project, also known as the Eagle Express, continues to make headway in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s railway development plan.

The first in the region, the Eagle Express is a proposed railway network in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, spearheaded by the Railway Consortium of Korea (RCK) and economic leaders.

The railway will connect the island's major cities via a circumferential railway with offshoot lines connecting far-off towns. The Eagle Express Phase 1 is a 750-kilometer-long double-tracked modern railway project with high-speed trains, commuter trains and dedicated cargo trains that will serve 10 provinces in Mindanao.

Expected to be partially operational in 2030, RCK says the eight-year project is predicted to benefit over 20 million people in line with connectivity and boost economic growth in the area.

The RCK expresses its optimism that with the modern railway having a top speed of 180 kilometers per hour (kph), economic progress on the island is foreseeable.

The RCK is a group of esteemed railway specialists and contractors from South Korea spearheading construction of the Eagle Express.

"As the Eagle Express project advances, the future of rail travel in the region shines brighter than ever, ushering in a new era of connectivity and prosperity," RCK concludes.