Right-of-way squatters

EDITORIAL

Credit it to resourcefulness of illegal squatters not only in northern Luzon but all over the country who have set up houses, buildings and other forms of structures over road-right-of ways.

In Baguio, the city government is set to thresh out with the Dept. of Public Works and Highways procedures in removing structures on RROWs on national roads following  new ruling from the DPWH central office.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said he will set a meeting with DPWH Baguio  engineeringdistrict office and city buildings and architecture office to iron out rules following mushrooming of illegal structures along RROWs as attested to by Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr.

The city and the BCDEO earlier set guidelines to speed up action on RROW structures.The mayor said they came up with a format for demolition orders wherein both heads of the BCDEO and the CBAO will have to sign.    

But the guidelines will have to be reviewed and revised in view of the new memorandum from the central office, the mayor said.Yangot raised alarm over the proliferation of illegal constructions along RROWs in Dontogan barangay, Marcos Highway, Kennon Road and other areas.  He said the structures included large buildings.

He also aired concern over the status of RROW lot along Naguilian Road which had been issued a title under the free patent law and lots covered by expanded titles.Domogan said the city government was readying documents to request the Office of the Solicitor General to initiate the cancellation proceedings to nullify the title of the lot along Naguilian Road.

The mayor said the city had a solid case because the lot which used to house the multi-purpose hall of the barangay is situated on a national road and commercial zone and therefore is not covered by the free patent law.

As to the expanded titles, the city is awaiting decisions on the nullification cases filed earlier. Taking out unscrupulous squatters and structures they erected over RROWs is a tall order but with political will, this could be done.