DPWH Creates Right-of-Way Task Force for Urgent Infrastructure Projects

A task force that will handle right-of-way acquisition has been created by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to minimize delay in project implementation.

Under Department Order No. 203, series of 2016, DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar ordered the creation of Unified Project Management Office Right-of-Way (UPMO-ROW) Task Force that will now handle the monitoring of ROW issues that affect the implementation of UPMO road, bridge and flood control projects nationwide.

The UPMO-ROW Task Force, headed by DPWH Undersecretary for UPMO operations Emil K. Sadain, with Legal Service Director Estrella T. Decena-Zaldivar as vice chairman and UPMO Cluster directors as members, will monitor the ROW acquisition status and recommend appropriate actions for ROW issues.

To support the UPMO-ROW Task Force, a Technical Working Group (TWG), to be composed of representatives of UPMO Cluster Directors, will also be created. The TWG is responsible for the screening and verification of documents submitted for IROW claims as well as the accuracy of the computation of land valuations and disturbance compensation.

Based on the same guidelines, the payment of ROW claims shall only be processed by the concerned District Engineering Offices once the revalidation of submitted documents is made by the UPMO-ROW Task Force.

With the creation of new task force, the processing of ROW claims for UPMO projects will speed  up, resulting to a more effective and expeditious completion of urgent infrastructure. (DPWH)