TransCo admits backlogs on right of way cases

The National Transmission Commission admitted delays in the Right of Way cases including projects which go beyond their existence and those that are related to the operation of the National Power Corporation.

TransCo Vice President Dinna Dizon made these revelations during the Legislative Franchise Committee hearing after being pressed by Philreca Partylist Representative Presley De Jesus who sees a link between backlogs in the ROW cases and NGCP’s ongoing projects.

Right of way is the legal entitlement granted to a person or an entity to pass through or use a portion of another person’s property for a specific purpose.

Ms. Dizon explained that ROW cases were “left for the government to settle” when the concession with NGCP was prepared or the bid was set out. However, she claimed that the cases handled by TransCo pertain to assets that were already operating at the time when they transferred the concession to NGCP.

“If there are no claims for TransCo to settle, we are not able to do this for the entire Philippines. The lengthy process is the validation if the piece of lot is part of the transmission project before and the valuation that will go in the settlement of the lot,” Ms. Dizon added.

ROW issues have been affecting NGCP’s projects for 15 years now. Since taking over from TransCo in 2009, NGCP has struggled with ROW issues throughout the country for both new and those transmission projects which they acquired from the government which they are currently maintaining and operating.

“If you, being a government entity hindi niyo nagagawa kaagad in time, how much more ang private o ang concessionaire niyo, ang NGCP?” Rep. De Jesus lamented.

“At the end of the day, whatever the results of this motu proprio, kung hindi rin natin mapapababa ang presyo ng kuryente, useless din po ang ginagawa natin,” he added.