SIQUIJOR - The Central Visayas Regional Development Council asked the Supreme Court Friday, June 21, 2019, to create a special court on expropriation cases to hasten the completion of road projects.
A resolution filed by RDC infrastructure committee chairman Glenn Anthony Soco and approved by the full council in session here said there is need to fast track infrastructure projects to address common problems of the metropolis.
“Difficulty in right-of-way acquisition is the main reason why some projects are not implemented. It affects the infrastructure projects not only in Cebu but in other areas of Central Visayas,” Soco said.
He cited the widening of the road from Cansaga Bridge to Liloan, Cebu, which cover Barangays Tayud, Consolacion and Tayud, Liloan, which has not been completed since the project started in 2010 because of road right-of-way issues.
Soco earlier said, “It’s been more than 10 years, and the widening is far from being completed. It’s only 6.5 kilometers in length. Some of the components of the road widening project were already terminated because the contractors could not continue with the civil works due to the lack of right-of-way.” The incomplete widening becomes an inconvenience to motorists and residents because heavy traffic is experienced even on Sundays, he added.
“There’s a need to immediately finish the road widening of that road because it can definitely ease the traffic in going to northern Cebu and vice versa, and will complement the coming Cebu International Container Port,” Soco said.
He also saw the same problem for the widening of Hernan Cortes St. in Mandaue City, a critical road that runs parallel to the Banilad-Talamban Road.
Soco cited the newly enacted Right-of-Way Act or Republic Act 10752, which facilitates the acquisition of right-of-way site or location for National Government infrastructure projects. He said the law ensures that no person is deprived of his property without just compensation.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 Director Edgar Tabacon said his office is also hoping for a special court to handle expropriation cases, especially now that most of the projets involve road widening and opening.
Tabacon said that most of the time they expropriate from one owner or claimant of the property. The special court would be needed when there are many claimants as it would take time to expropriate from several of them.
“It’s very challenging, especially in urban areas like Mactan, Cebu City and Mandaue,” Tabacon said. In some cases, he added, the contracts expired or the projects were not started, and sometimes the right-of-way acquisition is higher than the cost of civil works.
The RDC Central Visayas became the first to call for a special court for expropriation cases. Soco said other RDCs may be asked to issue similar resolutions.
The special court idea, Soco said, came from the DPWH and he hoped the special court would hasten the expropriation needed to complete projects.