The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) have signed a memorandum of agreement to accelerate the acquisition of land needed for the government's railway programs.
Under the agreement, the OSG shall provide legal assistance to the DOTr in land acquisition and right-of-way (ROW) clearing for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) and other rail projects.
The move aims to expedite the procurement of private properties required for the construction of railway lines, which has been a major bottleneck in completing infrastructure projects on time.
Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said the partnership would streamline the legal processes and ensure that property owners are justly compensated.
"This collaboration with the OSG will help us address the challenge of right-of-way acquisition, which is crucial to meeting our project deadlines," Bautista said in a statement.
The NSCR, a 147-kilometer railway connecting Clark, Pampanga, to Calamba, Laguna, is a flagship project under the "Build Better More" program.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra assured that his office would expedite the issuance of legal opinions and the processing of expropriation cases.
"We are committed to supporting the DOTr in clearing the legal hurdles so that these vital rail projects can proceed without delay," Guevarra said.
The DOTr and OSG target to complete land acquisition for the NSCR by 2026.