'Right-of-way debris' is biggest hump in infra projects

The Marcos administration wants to clear priority infrastructure projects from 'right-of-way debris' that litters the road to progress and hinders economic growth.

Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go said the passage of an efficient right-of-way law would hasten the completion of critical infrastructure projects.

"For infrastructure, we need a perfect law on the right of way. Many of our infrastructure projects require an efficient way of securing the right of way to speed them up," Go said.

Right-of-way issues are a major bottleneck for various infrastructure projects across sectors, including transportation, energy, and water, because of the delay in their approval.

"All infrastructure projects could benefit from a better right-of-way law, whether we are discussing roads, transportation, energy, water, or other utilities. We need to move forward as soon as possible," Go said.

He also hoped that Congress would soon pass the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy, or the CREATE MORE Bill, his top priority legislation.

"We have several bills that affect the economy, and we certainly would like to work very closely with Congress, both the upper house and the lower house, to get these bills passed as soon as possible," Go added.

"The wonderful thing is Senate President Chiz Escudero is very supportive of the bills that will help promote our economy."

In addition to the CREATE MORE Bill and the right-of-way law, Go mentioned other legislative priorities, such as creating a Department of Water.

He said this new department aims to ensure sustainable water management and efficient delivery of water services, which could keep costs low.

"We believe water can be used three times – for generating energy, agriculture, and drinking. A well-orchestrated program to capture and manage water efficiently is essential," Go said.

He added that his office also supports the taxation on digital services pushed by the Department of Finance.