The Philippine National Railways is a state-owned railway system of the Philippines, it was established during the Spanish Colonial period. PNR aims to link key cities within the Philippines efficiently and to serve as an instrument in national socio-economic development.[10] It also aims to improve the rail transportation of the country. The PNR currently operates in the Manila metropolitan area and the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Albay. Before PNR used to serve the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan and La Union in the north and Batangas on the South. The PNR used to run the only inter-city train between Metro Manila and Bicol but that is currently suspended.