Right-of-way issues are the bane of major infrastructure projects.
They are far from being completed. But recent progress in the construction of ₱873.62-billion North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System Project and the P488.5-billion, 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) is encouraging.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) just last week reported that it had expedited land acquisition for two multibillion-peso rail projects, reaching 90.76 percent right-of-way (RoW) for the Metro Manila Subway as of December 2025.
That is a significant progress from February last year when subway land acquisition stood at 51 percent.
The DOTr also reported parallel gains for the NSCR system, where 56 percent of the northern segment is now cleared for construction. The number of acquired properties for the NSCR north segment jumped to 1,143 by year-end, up from just 38 parcels in February 2025.
The subway, meanwhile, made a breakthrough when it tore through the havens of the rich—considered the long-standing bottlenecks hampering the construction of the infrastructure.
The agency finally addressed legal disputes involving major properties, such as White Plains, Corinthian Gardens and Metrowalk.
For the NSCR, the DOTr expects to complete all land acquisition for the northern segment by mid-2026. The agency, likewise, cleared land for the Banlic depot and three out of 19 stations, specifically EDSA, Cabuyao and Sta. Rosa, for the southern portion of the project.
The 147-kilometer NSCR will link Clark International Airport to Calamba, cutting travel time from four hours to less than 2.5 hours from the current four hours by land.
Once fully operational, the DOTr estimates the line will serve 1 million passengers daily and reduce travel time between the two points to less than 2.5 hours
The 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway, on the other hand, will connect Valenzuela City to Parañaque City, reducing the commute between Quezon City and the main international airport to 35 minutes from the current 70 minutes.
RoW issues are the bane of major infrastructure projects. They stall construction work and may, in extreme cases, cause the state to abandon a project.
The Metrowalk property in Pasig City perfectly fits the description of the RoW nuisance. The government faced stiff resistance from Blemp Commercial of the Philippines Inc. (BCPI), which is owned by the family of former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Crisologo “Chavit” Singson.
After protracted legal negotiations, the DOTr finally begun demolition and fencing works late last year at the Metrowalk property, clearing the way for the construction of the Ortigas Station of the MMSP.
The move follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fast-track the project to ease daily commuting woes in the capital region.
“After nearly three years of delay, we have begun the demolition and fencing of the property so that we can also begin the construction of the Ortigas Station of the subway,” said Acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez Lopez.
A total area of 12,752 square meters from Metrowalk’s eight hectares will be used for the station.
Once completed and in full operation in 2032, the subway is expected serve an anticipated daily ridership of 519,000 passengers.
Big-ticket infrastructure projects such as the subway and the NSCR, along with the Bataan–Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) Project and the 672-kilometer Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, are game-changers that will give the Philippines a shot at becoming a developed country.
Their completion will significantly improve transportation, link the farmers and fishermen to their market, and reduce the cost of goods and services.
They should be world-class facilities and far removed from the corruption scandals surrounding flood control projects.
Fortunately, these mega projects are being built with foreign funding, strictly monitored by international institutions and their progress assessed periodically.
The NSCR and other major infrastructure are critical projects needed by an expanding Philippine economy. They should not go the way of substandard flood control projects.
World-class facilities such as the subway and the north-south railway define good governance. It’s about time the Philippines demonstrates its will to finish such critical projects.
E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com
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