The 39th UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) and its associated events were successfully held on 3 and 4 November 2025, in Manila, the Philippines. The event, kindly hosted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine National Railways (PNR), brought together senior representatives from member companies and organisations for a full day of meetings and a subsequent day of technical visits.
Satish Kumar, UIC APRA Vice-Chair and Acting-Chair and Chair of the Railway Board, Indian Railways, alongside François Davenne, UIC Director General, warmly welcomed all participants to the hybrid event at the Dusit Thani Manila.
A day of strategic regional focus
Monday 3 November was dedicated to key regional meetings, laying the groundwork for future collaboration and project development.
Asia-Pacific Region project session (09:00-12:00, Manila time)
Moderated by Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications & Coordinator Asia-Pacific Region, the day began with welcome remarks and an introduction from Timothy John R. Batan, Undersecretary for Railways. This was followed by a session focused on regional projects, including the Progress Report for 2024 & 2025 ROP Projects. Members received updates on various research and training initiatives, including:
- Research: Indian Railways | Well-to-wheel analysis of road and rail transport: Lessons for sustainable transport
- Research: KORAIL | Unmanned automatic inspection system for railway infrastructure based on drone and 3D modelling in AP region (UAISRID3)
- Training: East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) | UIC-JR East workshop on enhance reliability & resilience for railway operation
- Research: Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) | Intelligent train operation control for high-speed railway train set based on virtual coupling, considering reducing carbon emissions: Methodology and practice
- Research: Indian Railways | Design of formation for mixed traffic: Passenger train up to 240 km/h and freight train with 25 t axle load up to 120 km/h
The session concluded with a focus on project development in the Asia-Pacific region, with presentations on the UIC project typology and discussion of the region’s hot topics.
25th Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC) (14:00-15:00, Manila time)
Chaired by Satish Kumar, the 25th APMC handled essential administrative business, including the approval of the Agenda and the Minutes of the previous New Delhi session.
Philippe Lorand, Coordinator of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region, provided an update on membership issues. He facilitated discussions on projects and activities, covering the current situation of 2024/2025 projects and the selection of Asia-Pacific Regional Opt-in Projects (ROP) for 2026. The Management Committee also commented on the strategic note and roadmap regarding the development of a UIC Regional Office in the Asia-Pacific region.
39th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) (15:30-18:00, Manila time)
This main Assembly addressed further administrative matters and membership issues. Members took note of the Report of Vice-Chair and Acting-Chair Satish Kumar and the Report of UIC Director General François Davenne.
Satish Kumar thanked the Filipino members and authorities for the excellent organisation of the Regional Assembly and for their hospitality. He also invited Sung-yeol Cha, Korail Vice President of Passenger Business HQ to offer a few welcoming words.
Facilitated by Philippe Lorand, UIC Director of Institutional Relations and Asia-Pacific Coordinator, and at the Vice-Chair’s request, the Assembly completed several key actions. These included validating the APMC-recommended ROP projects for 2026 funding, ratifying the UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Office opening roadmap, and approving the 2025 APRA revised budget. Furthermore, the Assembly endorsed the plan to diversify APRA’s communication channels via dedicated WhatsApp and/or WeChat groups.
The first day concluded with Satish Kumar’s closing remarks and the announcement of dates and venues for the next events and statutory meetings in the Asia-Pacific region.
Technical visits showcase Philippine rail infrastructure
Tuesday 4 November was dedicated to a comprehensive series of technical visits for APRA member representatives, showcasing the development of railway infrastructure currently underway in the Philippines, hosted by DOTr and PNR:
- Technical Visit 1: Participants travelled to the North-South Commuter Rail (NSCR) Malanday Depot for a briefing at the Operational Control Centre (OCC).
- Technical Visit 2: The next stop was the DOTr Philippines Railway Institute (PRI) Building for a guided tour.
- Technical Visit 3: The day concluded with a guided tour of the North Avenue Station (NAS).
Feedback from APRA members
Members were delighted to finally meet in person and engage in discussions on the key issues shaping their rapidly growing region. They were genuinely impressed by the hosts’ exceptional organisation, which made the 39th APRA and its associated events a resounding success and earned unanimous praise from APRA representatives.
Gratitude is extended to the Filipino hosts, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine National Railways (PNR). Their dedication, including the high-level commitment of Anneli R. Lontoc, Undersecretary at DOTr and Acting Executive Director at Philippine Railways Institute, and Celeste Lauta, Assistant General Manager at PNR, that secured the hosting arrangement, and the meticulous work of the PNR executing teams, ensured the smooth and hospitable running of the two-day programme.
Furthermore, appreciation is expressed by members to the UIC APRA team at UIC headquarters. Under the strategic guidance of Philippe Lorand, the dedicated efforts of Yuke Li, UIC Asia-Pacific Region Advisor, Anton Beck, Strategic Partnerships Advisor, and Kyungmin Kim, APRA Chair’s officer, were essential in coordinating the principal agenda and making this regional gathering a resounding success.
