The government will be reviewing right-of-way, or RoW, rules and financial terms of previously China-backed infrastructure projects, Transportation secretary Jaime Bautista said Wednesday.

Bautista said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has deemed improvements to the RoW law as a priority as the government aims to accelerate construction of 197 flagship infrastructure.

"We're working closely with the Office of Solicitor General that works on expropriation cases. We will have a sectoral meeting with the president regarding the right of way. It is on top of the agenda because it is one of the major issues in implementing infrastructure projects," Bautista said.

5 changes mulled

Lawmakers are proposing up to five amendments to the ROW law, which include government's full payment to property owners upon the execution of the deed of sale, and its compensation for property owners due to lost income caused by the infrastructure project, among others.

The existing ROW law allows the government to take real estate from the public for infrastructure projects through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or other mode of acquisition provided by law.