House inquiry on Mindanao Railway Project sought

A legislative inquiry on the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) has been sought in the House of Representatives over alleged disparities in payment for right of way, among others.

Representatives Paolo Duterte of Davao City and Eric Yap of Benguet filed House Resolution 286 urging appropriate House committees to probe the way the Department of Transportation has undertaken its right-of-way acquisitions and expropriation of private properties to be affected by the rail line.

The lawmakers said they received reports from various local communities that there has been disparities in the offers for the acquisition of right-of-way and expropriation made by the DOTr and its service providers.

“These variations in offers have substantial discrepancies from the actual Zonal Value or Fair Market Value of the properties affected,” they said.

“There is a need to properly determine the correct and appropriate manner of identifying the areas where the MRP will traverse in order to ensure public safety and welfare and still being able pursue the MRP for sustained growth and development," they added.

GMA News Online reached out to DOTr for comment but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

In addition, the House members said the probe will  ensure transparency and accountability on the use of public funds while keeping in mind the safety and welfare of the general populace in the delivery of public services.

They also argued that the congressional probe will revisit existing laws and rules involving the manner of identifying the appropriate locations and/or areas of the MRP,  in addition to concerns of proper acquisition of right-of-way and expropriation of private properties.

"This [inquiry] will help ensure that all affected public and private stakeholders are adequately compensated and protected by applicable laws and rules," they said.

Duterte  and Yap said among the densely populated areas in Davao City to be traversed by the MRP include Barangay Catalunan Grande, which has issued a resolution opposing the project as this “will result to undue safety and health hazard, as well as noise pollution, to name a few.”

The MRP, which will be implemented by the DOTr in three phases, will be the first rail system outside Luzon.

It covers 1,530-kilometers of circumferential and spur rail lines that will connect the Davao provinces, Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, General Santos City, and Zamboanga.

The Phase 1 of the MRP (Tagum-Davao-Digos segment) is a 105-kilometer line that is expected to reduce travel time from Davao del Norte to Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to just 1.3 hours. Likewise, it will have eight stations namely: Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Mudiang, Davao Terminal, Toril, Sta. Cruz, and Digos.

A 10-hectare depot will be built in Tagum City.

The Mindanao Railway Project was approved during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Rep. Duterte's father.—AOL, GMA News