DOTR secures six right-of-way deals from Calumpit to Clark

Six right-of-way (ROW) issues have been cleared by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), spanning areas from Calumpit, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga, expediting the completion of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System.

ROW issues have long plagued the development of the NSCR, with land acquisition bottlenecks hindering the current administration’s push to provide efficient and reliable transport infrastructure.

The six ROW properties cleared are located in Clark International Airport, SM Clark, Brgy. Pulungbulo in Angeles, Pampanga, Barangay Sto. Niño in San Fernando, Brgy. San Vicente in Apalit, and Brgy. Iba Este in Calumpit.

Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez expressed gratitude to the local government units (LGUs) that provided much-needed assistance in resolving ROW issues. This follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive for the DOTr to streamline the land acquisition process for big-ticket transport projects to accelerate the construction of critical infrastructure aimed at easing the plight of commuters.

“We extend our gratitude to the local government units in these critical areas where we will construct the NSCR, particularly those in Angeles City, Mabalacat City, City of San Fernando, Apalit, Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Calumpit, Malolos, and the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan, for their invaluable support and cooperation in making this project possible,” Lopez said.

Meanwhile, construction of the Malolos Station is nearing completion.

The acting transport chief credited the strong support and cooperation of LGUs in Pampanga and Bulacan, and also lauded the efforts of the Right-of-Way and Site Acquisition (ROWSA) Team led by DOTr Assistant Secretary IC Calaguas for expediting the land acquisition process.

Lopez also expressed confidence that all ROW requirements for the northern section of the NSCR, from Malolos to Clark, will be completed by mid-2026.

On the other hand, the DOTr is targeting the completion of ROW acquisition for nine stations in the southern section by December 2025. These stations include Biñan, Cabuyao, Sta. Rosa, EDSA, Sucat, Muntinlupa, FTI, Blumentritt, and Sta. Mesa.

The agency is also fast-tracking utility relocation efforts for the NSCR’s southern segment by December 2025, alongside the Banlic Depot, with ROW acquisition already at 98 percent completion.