PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the creation of an inter-agency committee that will facilitate the acquisition of right-of-way (ROW) for the implementation of all railway projects across the country.
Under Administrative Order No. 19, Marcos directed the Inter-Agency Committee for Right-of Way Activities for National Railway Projects which will be headed by the secretary of the Department of Transportation, co-chaired by the head of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban, to study and devise an efficient and collaborative mechanism to streamline the process of land acquisition necessary for railway projects.
The committee’s function includes coordinating the implementation of railway policies and projects, crafting and approving project-specific policies and programs, and identifying the appropriate services or programs concerning land acquisition and other ROW activities, such as livelihood, income restoration, and resettlement.
It will also identify effective existing policies, agreements, contracts, and other similar arrangements between and among government agencies, consolidate and mobilize agency resources to streamline budgeting, deliberate and resolve issues and grievances, and create technical working groups to implement the order.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government; Department of Social Welfare and Development; Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Department of Finance; Department of Budget and Management; Department of Justice; and Office of the Solicitor General will also take part as members of the committee.
The Philippine National Railway (PNR) shall serve as the Secretariat of the Committee and shall provide administrative and technical support to the body.
Under Republic Act No. 10752, or the “Right-of-Way Act,” the government is authorized to acquire real property needed as an ROW site or location for any national government infrastructure project through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any other mode of acquisition.
In a bid to boost economic growth, the administration of Marcos aims to improve the Philippine transportation sector by providing sustainable and affordable transportation options that will link communities to economic, social and cultural centers.
The Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway System, Mindanao Railway Project, and PNR South Long Haul are among the administration’s priority infrastructure projects in the transportation sector under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and its 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda, aimed at boosting mobility, enhancing connectivity and promoting growth centers outside the urban-industrial region. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)