On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Administrative Order (AO) No. 19, establishing the Inter-Agency Committee for Right-of-Way (ROW) Activities for National Railway Projects.
This move aims to standardize the land acquisition process for the country’s railway projects.
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the committee, led by the Transportation secretary with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development head as co-chair, will coordinate the execution of railway projects and policies.
It will also identify required services, resolve issues, and create technical working groups to implement the order.
The committee includes representatives from various government agencies such as 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 the Office of the Solicitor General.
This action is in line with Republic Act No. 10752, which empowers the government to obtain real estate for national government infrastructure projects’ “right-of-way.”
Source: PhilNews24 | April 3, 2024
