THE Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) called on Congress to immediately pass the amendments to the Right-of-Way Act that will address delays in infrastructure projects.
Victor Lim, FFCCCII president, in a statement Sunday night said Congress must pass a strengthened Right-of-Way (ROW) bill without delay.
The bill is one of 12 prioritized for approval by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council during the remaining days of the 19th Congress.
Senate Bill (SB) 2821 or the Accelerated and Reformed ROW (ARROW) Act, was approved on second reading on June 2, the Senate website says.
SB 2821 is the substitute bill of three other Senate bills and took into consideration its House counterpart, House Bill No. 6571.
It aims to reform the ROW acquisition for infrastructure projects by the national government and public service providers and will amend Republic Act No. 10752, or the Right-of-Way Act, the Senate said.
FFCCII said it supports the reforms to be introduced in the bill including the standardization of valuation based on fair market principles as well as guaranteed funding for land acquisition.
Lim said another provision, which sets structured resettlement programs, will address the root causes of delay: arbitrary pricing, fiscal uncertainty and inadequate planning.
He said the inclusion in the bill of a provision on interim rental subsidies for affected residents further demonstrates that progress and compassion are not mutually exclusive.
“The country’s systemic failures in infrastructure development are not mere bureaucratic inefficiencies—they represent nothing less than a national crisis of competitiveness, one that undermines economic growth, erodes our regional standing, and deprives millions of Filipinos of the modern connectivity they deserve,” he said.
The FFCCII said a modern ROW law ensures both fairness and efficiency—delivering prompt and just compensation while unlocking projects that will benefit generations.
FFCCII cited the delays faced by rail projects, the Metro Manila Subway, as well as the North-South Commuter Railway and Light Rail Transit-1 Cavite Extension due to ROW disputes. It did not elaborate.
“The cost of inaction is unconscionable. (The delay) represents billions in lost productivity, stifled investment, and prolonged suffering for commuters trapped in endless congestion,” Lim said.
The Department of Transportation in a statement on April 16 quoted Secretary Vince Dizon as saying the agency is fast-tracking big ticket transport infrastructure, while pushing for high-capacity mass transportation systems, citing the Metro Manila Subway Project and the North-South Commuter Railway System, EDSA Busway modernization and MRT-7, among others.
