Gov't eyes Right-of-Way Office

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to establish a Right-of-Way (ROW) Office to streamline land acquisition and accelerate infrastructure projects.

The proposal, presented by the PSAC Infrastructure Sector during a March 20 meeting, aims to address delays caused by lengthy legal disputes and bureaucratic inefficiencies in acquiring land for government projects.

"The ROW Office, certainly I think that we have to do it," Marcos said, according to a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office.

"We have to do something as this is something that always comes up and the main reason why we are always delayed and we have added cost," the president said.

The proposed office would work with government agencies to resolve conflicts in ROW execution and assign lawyers to priority sectors, including transportation, energy, telecommunications and water.

The PSAC also recommended using a portion of the Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) for land purchases and re-establishing multi-year funding for ROW acquisition.

Marcos also called for a review of a pending Right-of-Way bill in the Senate, suggesting funding requirements be included in the legislation.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon highlighted the use of an interim rental subsidy for informal settlers affected by ROW acquisitions, citing its implementation in the Malolos-Clark railway project. Under the scheme, affected families receive 7,000 pesos ($125) per month for 18 months to relocate.

"Keep me updated and let's see if we can replicate it for the other places," Marcos said of the subsidy program.

Sabin Aboitiz, lead convenor of PSAC and president and CEO of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, emphasized the importance of accelerating infrastructure projects for economic development.

"Infrastructure is a powerful catalyst for economic growth—it creates jobs, enhances connectivity, and improves the quality of life for all Filipinos," he said.