Senate Finance Committee Chairperson JV Ejercito flagged funding gaps for right-of-way (ROW) acquisition that could delay major transportation projects as the panel approved the proposed P300.96-billion budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies for 2027.

The proposed DOTr allocation is P163.11 billion, or 118.33 percent higher than the P137.85-billion budget under the 2026 General Appropriations Act. The proposal will proceed to plenary deliberations.

During Friday’s budget hearing, 18 September, Ejercito said ROW acquisition and compensation should be adequately funded alongside construction to prevent major projects from being stalled.

“We have major projects like the Metro Manila Subway and North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) that are already moving, but their timelines can still be affected if we cannot secure the ROW and compensation requirements,” Ejercito said.

“We can fund the construction, but if we don't have the right-of-way, the project can still be delayed. Kailangan din i-secure muna natin ang ROW requirements para kahit sino ang nakaupo na opisyal ng ahensya o administrasyon, maipagpapatuloy natin ang mga proyekto ng gobyerno,” he added.

Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said substantial ROW funding is still needed for various transport projects, including those in Davao and Cebu.

For the Metro Manila Subway, the DOTr requested about P40 billion for compensation to affected landowners. The agency said the lack of funding could affect tunneling and other construction activities.

For the NSCR, overall ROW acquisition is about 78 percent. The N1 segment is about 99 percent complete in terms of ROW, while the N2 segment toward Clark is about 86 percent and still requires roughly P2 billion, according to the DOTr.

The South Manila-Calamba segment is about 64 percent acquired, with more than P20 billion potentially needed for additional ROW acquisition.

“Ang tinitingnan natin dito is not just how much we allocate, but whether the allocation is enough to make the projects operational. We don't want to fund a project on paper but leave it stalled because of lack of right-of-way, compensation or other critical requirements,” Ejercito said.

Ejercito also emphasized the need for long-term investments in transportation infrastructure.

“I have always advocated transport modernization and infrastructure development because this will really stimulate economic growth and spread out the development in the countryside, creating jobs and opportunities,” he said.

Busway funding

Ejercito also raised concerns over the absence of a separate allocation for the EDSA Busway in the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The DOTr had requested P1.756 billion for the NCR Busway Project, but the program received no separate appropriation in the proposed NEP. The Department of Budget and Management confirmed that the NCR Busway Project has no separate proposed appropriation under the 2027 NEP.

Lopez said the lack of funding could affect station modernization, accessibility improvements and security measures. The DOTr is rehabilitating stations in Bagong Barrio, Balintawak and Guadalupe, while new stations are planned in Cubao, Magallanes and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

Ejercito said the Senate would look for ways to fund improvements to the busway.

“Yung EDSA Busway, nakita naman natin na malaking tulong ito sa ating mga commuters. Mas mabilis ang biyahe, mas maayos ang daloy ng mga pasahero at naging efficient na public transport option ito para sa maraming gumagamit ng EDSA,” he said.

“Sayang naman kung hindi natin mabibigyan ng sapat na pondo. Sa huli, simple lang naman ang gusto ng ating mga kababayan: mas maikling biyahe, mas ligtas at maayos na public transportation, mas magandang connectivity, at mas maraming oras para sa kanilang pamilya at kabuhayan.”

The proposed P300.96-billion DOTr budget is 52.52 percent higher than the P197.33 billion proposed under the 2026 NEP, with P197.3 billion earmarked for rail transport.