President Marcos backs creation of ROW office under Office of the President

MANILA, Philippines — To accelerate the completion of major infrastructure projects, President Marcos has endorsed the creation of a right-of-way (ROW) office under the Office of the President to streamline land acquisition process.

During a meeting at Malacañang on Thursday, the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Infrastructure Sector recommended the move, citing ROW as a major hurdle delaying projects due to legal disputes, court backlogs, and bureaucratic inefficiencies.

“The ROW office – certainly I think that we have to do it. 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 will collaborate with government agencies to resolve ROW conflicts and assign dedicated lawyers to key sectors, including transportation, energy, telecommunications and water.

To ensure consistent funding, PSAC suggested using a portion of the Motor Vehicle Users Charge for land acquisition and re-establishing a multi-year obligation allocation for sustained funding beyond annual budgets.

It also urged the Department of Budget and Management and the Public-Private Partnership Center to align ROW budget planning with national projects.

Marcos ordered a review of the pending ROW bill in the Senate, suggesting that funding provisions be incorporated into the measure.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon noted that to expedite projects, the government has implemented interim rental subsidies for informal settlers affected by ROW acquisitions.

Each affected family will receive P7,000 per month for 18 months, allowing them to relocate while the Department of Human Settlements and local governments prepare permanent housing.

This subsidy has been rolled out for the Malolos-Clark Railway project, impacting 2,500 families in Bulacan and Pampanga.

Marcos has directed Dizon to prioritize flagship projects, including the P873.6-billion North-South Commuter Railway, the P488.5-billion Metro Manila Subway Project, and the P735.6-billion New Manila International Airport in partnership with San Miguel Corp.

However, the Department of Transportation continues to face ROW-related delays, hindering progress as obstructions slow down construction.

Sabin Aboitiz, lead convenor of PSAC and head of the infrastructure group sector, lauded Marcos’ urgency of infrastructure completion.

“Infrastructure is a powerful catalyst for economic growth. It creates jobs, enhances connectivity, and improves the quality of life for all Filipinos. The private sector stands ready to contribute its expertise, resources and innovative solutions to support the government’s vision of a more resilient and progressive Philippines,” said Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz Equity Ventures.