3 weeks ago
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Elijah Felice Rosales - The Philippine Star
February 22, 2025 | 12:00am
To catch up on delays
MANILA, Philippines — The first order of the day for newly minted Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon is to pick up the pace for some of the big-ticket projects delayed by issues on right-of-way (ROW) acquisition.
Dizon yesterday promised to speed up the completion of transport projects under the Build Better More (BBM), the infrastructure program of the Marcos administration.
President Marcos directed Dizon to solve ROW problems faced by some of the priority projects, particularly in railways where progress lies in clearing the alignment.
“That was the first instruction given to me by the President. We have to fast-track all the ongoing projects of the past administrations and also start the projects that are in the pipeline,” Dizon said.
The Department of Transportation is tasked to pursue the biggest transport priorities under the Marcos administration such as the P873.6-billion North-South Commuter Railway and the P488.5-billion Metro Manila Subway Project. The DOTr is also working with San Miguel Corp. in building the P735.6-billion New Manila International Airport.
However, the DOTr is facing delays in some of its projects because of challenges in ROW procurement, as contractors slow down civil works if obstructions stand in the way of the alignment.
“We have to work together (in addressing the ROW issues). We need a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. We have to make our partners understand that they have to contribute as well in realizing our projects,” Dizon said.
Dizon committed to prioritize active transport and mass transit projects that could convince Filipinos to give up their cars and commute regularly.
For one, Dizon wants to increase the number of train cars serving the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) for better capacity, especially during rush hours. He plans to accelerate the civil works for the subway, which is scheduled for partial operations by 2027.
“The long-term, ultimate solution to (easing) traffic is really mass transit. High-capacity, projects that can carry hundreds all at once. We need trains, we need more trains for the MRT-3. We need the subway,” Dizon said.
He also vowed to keep and expand bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways for added mobility options for Filipinos.
Dizon headed the Bases Conversion and Development Authority during the Duterte administration, and was appointed as the successor of Jaime Bautista, who resigned from the post to focus on his health.
