Resolving right-of-way issues key to timely completion of railway projects

According to Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, 47% of the relocation orders for nearly 700 power facilities to address right-of-way (ROW) issues in railway projects have been completed as of Thursday.

“We are here to collaborate with Meralco to ensure smooth implementation of our rail projects,” Mr. Bautista said in a Business Review Meeting last August 1.

He added that the collaboration with the electric distribution utility company will help the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reach its deadline for rail projects.

“We want Meralco to be on board so we can efficiently solve right-of-way issues and accomplish these projects as soon as possible.”

Last April 2, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the Administrative Order (AO) 19 , creating the inter-agency committee to address the ROW issues in railway projects.

Under AO 19, the Inter-Agency Committee for ROW Activities for National Railway Projects (Committee) was tasked to create an “efficient and collaborative mechanism to streamline the process of land acquisition necessary for the implementation of all railway projects.”

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), the Philippines’ first underground railway system, is one of the projects experiencing troubles with ROW issues.

By 2029, the MMSP is aimed to be partially operational, but this goal is contingent upon addressing challenges with ROW.

“Meron din issues like property owners na ayaw nila ‘yung MMSP dumaan sa ilalim ng kanilang property [Some property owners do not permit the MMSP to operate under their property,”] Mr. Bautista said on a press conference last March 7.

“We are doing our best to convince property owners, all things considered, that their concerns are already factored in,” DOTr Undersecretary for Rails Jeremy S. Regino added.

DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John R. Batan said in a forum on July 16 that the subway reached a ‘significant progress’, marking the completion of the project at 14.48% as of May 31. – Almira Louise S. Martinez