DPWH to crack down on right-of-way owners

By Pamela Dungala

BONTOC, Mountain Province –The district engineering office of this province will take action against lot owners along national roads who refuse to give up their lands or use their properties to obstruct projects in compliance with laws and regulations of the government on road-right-of-way (RROW).

This was agreed upon during a meeting of the provincial DPWH maintenance section on August 15 by engineers John Marquez, John Madchalang and Domingo Pumecha, OIC-district engineer, maintenance section chief, assistant maintenance chief respectively.

Marquez ordered issuance of notices to private individuals encroaching within the RROW and using the same for private gain as per Presidential Decree No. 17 Section 23 of the Revised Highway Act of the Philippines and Department Order No. 52 Series of 2003 which discusses removal of obstructions and prohibited uses within the RROW of national roads.

Such notices will serve as warning to RROW violators.

Should these violators not heed the office’s warning the office will be compelled to remove said properties of private individuals within national roads without hesitation.

Violators are given three days upon receipt of notice to remove such obstructions they may have caused on national roads.

Road maintenance workers reported during said meeting that they have warned the violators of their actions but to no avail which prompted the district engineer and the maintenance section chief to fully use the power of the law to get rid of RROW violators.

Among the RROW violations within the district include dumping of stockpile, parking of private vehicles, construction and encroachment within the RROW.

Madchalang has ordered his maintenance crew for removal of small stockpile, slides and boulders caused by recent heavy rains to avoid occurrence of accidents and to protect pavements from damages.