Senate help on right-of-way issues, airport upgrade sought
Ninoy Aquino International Airport facade. Inquirer file photo.
MANILA, Philippines—Aside from the right-of-way (ROW) funding, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has sought the Senate’s help in decongesting the country’s main gate — the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon first identified the ROW issues as the main reason for the delays of the many flagship and priority projects of the administration when he recently met with Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito.
READ:Dizon wants to solve right of way issues that delay govt infra projects
“His (Dizon) concern is the right of way and that’s the one that’s really causing the delay of the projects and at the same time it was placed in the unprogrammed funds for a while,” Ejercito said in a Zoom interview on Wednesday.
The senator was asked if there was a commitment from the DOTr about the major infrastructure projects that may be completed before the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ends in 2028.
Ejercito lamented the delays in the implementation of some projects that fell under the government’s unprogrammed funds in the past budget law.
Programmed allocation
This was also the reason he insisted that all flagship programs should fall under the programmed allocation.
But the DOTr is not just hoping for allocation but legislation that would address the ROW issues to expedite the completion of the government’s priority projects, according to the senator.
“He emphasized that for the project to move forward, there really needs to be a budget allocation, and at the same time, the right-of-way bill must be passed so they won’t keep encountering difficulties—since legal issues are usually the main problem,” Ejercito said in Filipino.
“That’s what he requested, along with airport upgrades, to help decongest NAIA,” Ejercito added.
In particular, Dizon talked about allowing other provincial airports to operate at night to “spread out the flight, instead of all trying to beat the 5 o’clock sunset limitation.” /MR
