The Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime J. Bautista on Thursday committed to negotiate with property owners in acquiring right-of-way for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) as a matter of course.
Unless compelled otherwise, DOTr undersecretary for rails, Jeremy Regino, said transport officials are loath to exercise the government prerogative to expropriate private property in the ongoing drive complete the MMSP by 2029 as scheduled.
“We have shortened the negotiation process. If there is no agreement, we will have to file expropriation proceedings but without prejudice to continue with the negotiations,” Regino said.
Regino joined Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista as the transport chief inspected the MMSP’s tunnel boring machine at its initial drive at the railway system’s North Avenue Station.
Regino explained the expropriation of property is not forced occupation but rather just compensation.
According to him, in cases where government is granted a writ of possession, this does not bar government from continuing in pursuit of a successful negotiation.
“We are doing our best to convince property owners, all things considered, that their concerns are already factored in,” he said.
According to Regino, the completion of the Metro Manila subway project remains well within the 2029 target.
The MMSP, the first underground railway in the country, is a 33-kilometer railway line connecting Valenzuela City and Pasay City with a spur line at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Paranaque City.
The subway will cut travel time from Valenzuela to NAIA from 1 hour and 30 minutes to only 35 minutes, servicing 519,000 passengers daily.
