(Eagle News)–President Bongbong Marcos has created an Inter-Agency Committee for Right-of Way (ROW) Activities for National Railway Project.
In issuing Administrative Order No. 19 dated March 25 that created the committee, the President said the body shall “study and devise an efficient and collaborative mechanism to streamline the process of land acquisition necessary for the implementation of all railway projects.”
The Presidential Communications Office said the committee’s powers and functions include 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, grievance and create technical working groups to implement the order,” the PCO said.
According to the administrative order, the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) shall serve as the chairperson with the head of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development as co-chair of the committee.
The committee’s members, meanwhile, include the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR; Department of Finance (DOF); Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Department of Justice (DOJ); and Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
The Philippine National Railways (PNR) shall provide administrative and technical support to the body as serve as the Secretariat of the Committee.
According to Republic Act (RA) No. 10752, or the “Right-of-Way (ROW) Act,” the government is authorized to acquire real property needed as ROW site or location for any national government infrastructure project via donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any other mode of acquisition.
The Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway System, Mindanao Railway Project, and PNR South Long Haul are some of the administration’s priority infrastructure projects in the transportation sector.
The government has said these were aimed at boosting mobility, enhancing connectivity and promoting growth centers outside the urban-industrial region.