CARIGARA, Leyte- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Leyte Second District Engineering Office advises the public to keep the 20-meter minimum width requirement on national roads.
Maintenance section chief Francisco Robin, Jr. said that there must be a proper information dissemination to the public to block the construction of residential, business, or other establishments within the 20-meter parameters to give way for the road right-of-way program.
“Let us inform our neighbours to preserve the 20-meters no building zone for the road widening and major flood control projects. Let us altogether help in the dissemination so when the time comes, investments would not go to waste,” Robin said.
He added that obstructions within the established right-of-way of existing national roads that will be displaced by the projects will not be compensated by the government.
The Right-of-Way Act contained under Republic Act 10752 states that “the government may acquire real property needed as right-of-way site or location for any national government for any national government infrastructure project through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any mode of acquisition as provided by law.”
However, this act only applies to new construction or road opening projects wherein the road right-of-way has not been previously acquired.
The road widening project of DPWH aims to utilize the burgeoning number of vehicular population in the country which results to traffic congestion.
This also intends to cultivate safety among motorists who go to and from places within the region. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
