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Dizon: ROW issues stall Metro Manila subway project
Major railway projects, including the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) and the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), face significant delays due to a Department of Justice (DOJ) legal opinion on right-of-way (ROW) acquisitions.
The DOJ opinion clarifies that the Republic Act 10752 (ROW Act) takes precedence over existing loan agreements with international funders like the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
This has led to an indefinite pause on ROW acquisitions, with exceptions for ongoing expropriation cases and subterranean land.
Newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon is working to fast-track these projects and has directed project managers to develop a revised schedule for the MMSP.
Previously, partial operations of the MMSP were targeted before 2028, with full operations by 2029, but these targets are now uncertain.
The ROW Act, as interpreted, requires informal settlers displaced by projects to be relocated to a site with basic facilities and services before any demolition occurs.
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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has established the Flagship Project Management Office (FPMO) to expedite the implementation of major infrastructure projects under the Marcos administration.
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President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has appointed Vince Dizon as the new Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and tasked him with improving the commuting experience.
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