With the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) completing 345 expropriation pleadings in one batch.
Recently, the above-mentioned agencies successfully concluded a three-day write workshop in Clark, Pampanga, where 191 attendees, the write workshop is considered to be the largest in DOTr history, were able to process the largest single batch in the history of the department.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the mass drafting of expropriation pleadings will significantly expedite land acquisition along the Clark–Malolos corridor for the North South Commuter Railway Project (NSCR) as well as the critical sites for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP).
Since March 2025, DOTr has recorded substantial progress in securing right-of-way for the NSCR North section—with acquisition rising sharply from 7.59 percent in 2025 to 65.5 percent to date.
“Sa partnership nating ito with OSG, lalong mapapabilis ang right-of-way at site acquisition para sa mga big ticket projects ng DOTr,” Lopez said. “Kailangan na natin ito paspasan para umandar na ang konstruksyon ng mga transport projects at mapakinabangan na ng mga pasahero.”
Securing right-of-way has been one of the major hurdles in transport project implementation, with land acquisition delays frequently disrupting construction schedules and timelines.
Hence, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition IC Calaguas emphasized the significance of the legal pleadings finalized during the session.
“These are all crucial right-of-way parcels for NSCR and MMSP. To the men and women of OSG, please continue to be our partner in attaining 100 percent right-of-way for our rail projects,” Calaguas said.
For Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan, meanwhile, he commended the collective efforts of DOTr and OSG in advancing the Department’s right-of-way agenda for its major rail initiatives.
For informal settler families, 1,537 out of 2,647 affected households, or 58.51 percent, have already received compensation.
The NSCR North section, covering the Malolos–Clark segment, is targeted to be operational by 2028, while the southern section is expected to be completed by 2031.
As regards to the Metro Manila Subway Project, the DOTr reported that it has cleared 90.80 percent of its right-of-way to date. This other project is expected to be completed by 2032.