TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – A landmark infrastructure proposal that could transform transportation in Northern Luzon is being eyed, with plans to build the first modern railway corridor directly linking Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the Ilocos Region.
The proposal, known as the Western Connectivity Expansion Corridor under the Cagayan Valley Integrated Strategic Infrastructure Program (CV-ISIP), seeks to develop the Tuao–Kalinga–Apayao–Solsona Integrated Railway and Highway System, creating a seamless transport network connecting the three regions.
The project was presented during a two-day planning workshop held in July, attended by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) and national government agencies from Regions I, II, and CAR. The activity was hosted by the Provincial Government of Cagayan under Governor Edgar Aglipay.
Vision for Northern Luzon
During the workshop, officials discussed the proposed Northern Loop East-West Connectivity Component of the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) Luzon Long Haul Railway Project, which aims to strengthen interregional connectivity across Northern Luzon.
According to the Project Concept Note (PCN) shared through the ONE Cagayan Facebook page, the proposal seeks to expand the CV-ISIP by integrating the Cordillera into Northern Luzon's growing transportation and logistics network.
The concept note recognized Kalinga and Apayao for their rich agricultural lands, mineral resources, renewable energy potential, forests, tourism destinations, and cultural heritage. However, it noted that both provinces continue to face high transportation costs, limited market access, and logistical constraints that hamper economic growth.
To address these challenges, planners proposed the construction of an integrated railway alongside a climate-resilient, all-weather highway. The railway would improve passenger and cargo transport, tourism, trade, and disaster response, while the highway would shorten travel time, improve access to remote communities, and provide an alternative route during emergencies.
The proposed project may include mountain tunnels, viaducts, slope protection systems, flood-resilient structures, and environmentally sensitive engineering designs.
If realized, the corridor would establish a major east-west economic route linking the Pacific coast of Cagayan Valley to the western seaboard of Ilocos while fully integrating the Cordillera into Northern Luzon's transport and logistics network.
The project is expected to boost agriculture, renewable energy, forestry, mining, tourism, agro-processing, logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing. It would also strengthen food security by improving the movement of agricultural products to key growth centers and transport hubs, including the proposed Piat International Airport, Tuguegarao Industrial Hub, Aparri International Seaport, the Pacific Maritime Highway, Ilocos ports, and major markets across Luzon.
Planners also said the corridor would enhance disaster resilience, emergency response, military mobility, and national security by providing another strategic transport route connecting the three regions.
The proposal aims to improve farmers' access to markets, generate employment during construction and operation, attract investments, and promote inclusive development for Indigenous Peoples and rural communities while ensuring environmental sustainability.
Under the proposed framework, the project will first undergo strategic corridor studies, including terrain, environmental, geohazard, and socioeconomic assessments, followed by engineering design, financial evaluation, institutional coordination, and phased implementation.
The concept note also recommends that the Regional Development Council (RDC) formally adopt the corridor under the CV-ISIP framework, support pre-feasibility and engineering studies, include it in future national infrastructure plans, and establish an interregional technical working group involving Regions I, II, and CAR.
If approved, the Tuao–Kalinga–Apayao–Solsona Integrated Railway and Highway System would become the first modern railway corridor to directly connect Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera, and Ilocos—a transformative project expected to reshape trade, tourism, mobility, and economic growth across Northern Luzon.
.png)
