Insider Spotlight
As of December 2025, the DOTr has acquired 90.76 percent of right-of-way and properties needed for the Metro Manila Subway Project, the department said in a post on its official Facebook account.
For the NSCR north segment, the agency said at least 56 percent of land has already been cleared and made buildable, a sharp improvement from early 2025 levels.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DOTr to accelerate land acquisition for both projects to deliver faster benefits to commuters, the agency said.
By the numbers
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the contrast in progress within the year was significant. In February 2025, acquired right-of-way for the subway stood at only 51 percent, while land acquisition for the NSCR north segment was at just 2 percent.
"In 2025, it was really a banner year for our right-of-way (undertakings) because we sped up land acquisition, so that commuters can use the subway and NSCR as soon as possible,” he said.
What changed
Under former Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon and current Secretary Lopez, the DOTr focused on clearing long-standing bottlenecks that had slowed the Metro Manila Subway Project. These included complex and high-value properties such as Varilla properties, as well as sites in White Plains, Corinthian Gardens, and Metrowalk.
The agency also reworked its right-of-way and site acquisition process. A dedicated assistant secretary for right-of-way site acquisitions, Irish Calaguas, was appointed to oversee land acquisition across major rail projects.
Behind the progress
DOTr said it expanded its right-of-way site acquisitions workforce from 200 to 900 personnel to speed up negotiations, documentation, and property settlement. The agency also conducted capacity-building and training programs to strengthen technical and legal expertise among staff handling acquisitions.
For the NSCR north segment, the number of acquired properties rose to 1,143 by December 2025, up from just 38 parcels in February of the same year.
What’s next
Lopez said the DOTr is now on track to complete right-of-way acquisition for the NSCR north segment by mid-2026. For the NSCR south segment, four of the 19 station sites have already been cleared, including EDSA, Cabuyao, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, and the Banlic depot.
The DOTr said sustained progress on right-of-way is critical to keeping construction timelines on track and reducing further delays for both flagship rail projects. — Daxim L. Lucas |Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
