New agency for right-of-way issues pushed
To accelerate the completion of big-ticket infrastructure projects, the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has recommended the establishment of a dedicated right-of-way office under the Office of the President.
The office will be mandated to solve longstanding right-of-way issues that have delayed and consequently bloated the cost of these big-ticket projects under the Marcos administration’s flagship Build Better More program.
The infrastructure cluster of PSAC headed by Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz made the proposal during a meeting with President Marcos on March 20 where they identified key challenges slowing infrastructure progress in the country.
These hurdles include prolonged legal disputes, bureaucratic inefficiencies and inconsistent funding, all of which contribute to project delays and increased costs.
The council said Mr. Marcos was receptive to the suggestion.
“The [right-of-way] office, certainly, I think that we have to do it. We have to do something as this is something that always comes up and is the main reason why we are always delayed and have added costs,” the President said, as quoted by PSAC.
According to the council, the proposed right-of-way office will collaborate with various government agencies to expedite execution and assign dedicated legal teams to priority industries such as transportation, energy, telecommunications and water.
To ensure continuous funding, the PSAC has recommended using a portion of the fees collected from the Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) for land purchases and re-establishing a multi-year obligation allocation system.
Budget alignment
The council also urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center to align budget planning with national projects for upfront funding.
To address challenges involving informal settlers, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon suggested the implementation of an interim rental subsidy program.
Under this program, affected families will receive a monthly subsidy of P7,000 for 18 months to facilitate relocation, ensuring that infrastructure projects proceed without major delays.
The subsidy was initially rolled out for the Malolos-Clark railway project, benefiting 2,500 informal settler families in Calumpit, Bulacan, and parts of Pampanga.
Unified station
The council also discussed other infrastructure concerns, including delays in the completion of the Unified Grand Central Station (UGCS), a critical project aimed at connecting Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1), Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3), MRT 7 and the Metro Manila Subway.
To address this, the PSAC proposed a temporary operational concept integrating LRT 1 and MRT 3 tracks and power systems.
It said this would enable a single-platform operation at UGCS for smoother passenger transfers and an improved commuter experience.
Additionally, the council also raised concerns over insurance deficiencies in the logistics and supply chain sector.
It noted that some carriers under the Maritime Industry Authority and the Philippine Ports Authority may not be fully compliant with mandated insurance requirements, posing risks to cargo owners and passengers.
To mitigate these risks, the PSAC recommended stricter enforcement of maritime insurance compliance, mandatory biannual reporting for maritime carriers, and awareness and capacity-building programs for smaller carriers.
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