The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) cited the significant progress in the right-of-way and acquisition of properties needed for the north segment of the massive 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) targets to complete the process by June 2026.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DOTr to fast-track the acquisition of lots to speed up the completion of big-ticket transport projects.
Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez expressed confidence that the DOTr’s Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition (ROWSA) office will finish the process for the NSCR north segment by June this year.
"Ang utos ng Pangulong Marcos sa atin ay bilisan ang pagtapos ng proyekto gaya ng NSCR. Kaya naman ang DOTr ay doble trabaho sa pag-acquire ng right-of-way para tuloy-tuloy at mapabilis ang konstruksyon ng proyekto para mapakinabangan na agad ng mga komyuter," Secretary Lopez said.
JICA Senior Deputy Director Murakami Kota said they support the transport agency's efforts in accelerating site acquisition for the NSCR.
"We understand the so much effort by the DOTr, and we appreciate Acting Secretary Lopez' initiatives. The DOTr said they target to complete land acquisition especially the north side of the NSCR within 2026 and I think it's key and we'll give the cooperation to complete all the land acquisition," Senior Deputy Director Murakami Kota said during the DOTr-JICA site visit on Thursday, February 5.
Transportation Assistant Secretary for ROWSA IC Calaguas for her part, said the right-of-way and site acquisition for the NSCR north segment is now at 56 percent, where a total of 1,143 out of 2,034 lots have been acquired.
"Ito pong right-of-way and site acquisition ng North-South Commuter Railway ay pinapamadali po ni Secretary Banoy Lopez. At present, nasa 56% po ang right-of-way and site acquisition natin at dahil po sa utos ng ating Pangulong Marcos, pinapatapos po ito ni Secretary Banoy by June 2026," Asec. Calaguas said.
The DOTr-JICA team inspected the N03 alignment, N02 site office, Extradosed Bridge, the civil works at the Angeles and San Fernando stations of the NSCR in Pampanga, and the relocation sites for project-affected persons (PAPs).
To date, the DOTr has paid 1,439 out of 2,448 project-affected informal settler families (ISFs).
The DOTr said it is closely monitoring the progress of construction of all resettlement sites in Angeles City and San Fernando City in Pampanga, and in Calumpit, Bulacan, in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and National Housing Authority (NHA). (Press Release)