THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) announced that they have filed a total of 105 expropriation cases for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project.
They noted that it’s the highest number of expropriation cases ever filed for a single project in DOTr’s history.
An expropriation case is a legal proceeding where the government — or a legally authorized entity — enforces its power to acquire private property for public use, provided it pays just compensation to the property owner.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said that the move aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to accelerate the construction and completion of major transport infrastructure projects.
”The President has ordered us to expedite the completion of vital projects like the North-South Commuter Railway. We will therefore ensure that the timeline is met so that passengers can benefit from it as soon as possible, given the substantial advantages it offers our commuters,” Lopez said.
Lopez thanked the OSG for its support.
Transportation Assistant Secretary for Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition IC Calaguas said swiftly resolving expropriation cases is crucial to maintaining the project’s momentum.
”With this development, we can be confident that the project will be delivered on time. We will continue striving to expedite the resolution of these legal matters so that we can roll out these projects for the commuting public more quickly,” Calaguas said.
