THE Mindanao Railway Project Tagum-Davao-Digos (MRP-TDD) will possibly cover 18 hectares in Barangay Mudiang, Davao City for its train station.
“Ang sulti sa (Department of Transportation (DOTr), 18 hectares lang ang posibleng maapektaran isip terminal og depot sa MRP (DOTr told us that only 18 hectares will possibly be covered by the project as terminal and depot),” Committee on public works and highways chair Councilor Jesus Joseph Zozobrado told the residents of Barangay Mudiang in a committee hearing last January 9, 2019.
In a separate interview, he said there will be three train stations in the city to be located in Barangays Mudiang, Maa, and Toril. Mudiang is the first station from the north.
After the presentation of the DOTr, residents of Barangay Mudiang expressed concern over the big portion that the project will cover for its train station.
Zozobrado told the residents that there have been no final points of areas affected by the MRP-TDD and that the presentation of DOTr is still an initial plan. He however, assured the residents that they will be fairly compensated if their properties get affected.
“If ever man na yung property ninyo ang matamaan, meron mang compensation on the Right of Way (ROW) and in fact, naa na ang kwarta once ma-identify mo, once ma-process na tanan (If ever your properties are affected, there will surely be a compensation on the ROW. In fact, the money is ready once the areas will be identified and processed),” he said.
Meanwhile, Transportation Assistant Secretary Eymard Eje commended the City Council for mediating over concerns of the residents and other property owners of the project.
“The MRP-TDD is about 80 to 85 percent final because we have already considered everything. We are just waiting for other stakeholders to submit necessary details to proceed with the final realignment,” he said.