A new Road Right of
Way Procedures Manual has been prepared and issued that
provides improvements to the IROW processes, including the
subprocesses for identification, acquisition, and management
of right-of-way. This Manual is for use of all offices
involved in IROW acquisition within the Department, and
particularly implementing offices, including: IROW Project
Management Office, Regional Offices, and District Offices.
One of the main
features of the improved IROW process is a uniform policy
for all types of infrastructure projects. The guiding
principles ensure that IROW costs are included with top
priority in project budgets; and that Infrastructure
Rights-of-way are fully acquired and cleared prior to the
issuance of Notice of Award to contractors.
Additional
significant modifications in the improved process provide
for an IROW Action Plan during the project identification
stage. This Action Plan will contain the estimated budget
for all IROW costs. An Environmental Compliance Certificate
shall be secured before the detailed design for all
projects. Also, Parcellary Surveys and a Land Aquisition and
Resettlement Action Plan (LAPRAP) shall be conducted for all
projects. Minor differences in policy and procedures are
application to IROW for Foeign Assisted Projects. These
differences are with respect to acquisition by donation; and
also to first offers based on market value of land parcels
instead of BIR Zonal Value.
Based on the
improved IROW Procedural Manual of April 2003, an
Infrastruture Right of Way application is being developed
jointly by MIS and RICC in phases. Phase 1 which is
currently under development focuses on the automated
preparation of documents, and functions of a monitoring
system to enable managers to quickly determine IROW
locations, status, and progress on critical tasks; to assess
project costs, milestones, and quantities; and to identify
and track land parcels and improvements. Phase 2 will expand
the application with enhanced integrated GIS functionality
including robust functions for analysis and display of
mapped features such as digital land parcels and utility
networks, and IROW boundaries. Phase 3 will expand the
application further to automate many user tasks and details
in the improved IROW Process, through automated
correspondence, and the use and exchange of large volumes of
electronic documents with other agencies.
