ILOILO City — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has committed to settle within June the long-delayed right-of-way payment owed to the owner of a property traversed by the Sunset Boulevard project in Oton, Iloilo, following a controversy that briefly led to the closure of a portion of the busy coastal road.
Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon made the assurance after the issue drew public attention when landowner Roel Amara blocked a section of Sunset Boulevard in Barangay Cagbang, Oton on May 31 over the government’s failure to pay compensation for his property acquired for the project.
“Magbabayad na tayo doon. I think within the month of June magbabayad na tayo,” Dizon said.
Dizon acknowledged the frustration of the landowner, who has been waiting for payment, but stressed that closing a public road is not the proper remedy.
“Na-intindihan ko na kawawa ‘yong landowner pero I have to tell the landowner that even if hindi sia bayad it is also not legal to close a road. Hindi rin tama ‘yon,” he said.
The DPWH chief explained that right-of-way compensation remains a nationwide problem because allocations proposed by the agency are often reduced during the budgeting process.
According to Dizon, the agency plans to seek a larger right-of-way budget next year and appeal to lawmakers not to cut the proposed allocation.
“I ask our senators and our congressmen sana huwag na nilang bawasan kasi we really need to start paying our right-of-way all over the country. I hope pagbigyan kita ng lawmakers,” he said.
Amara recently erected barriers in a portion of the Sunset Boulevard and posted a tarpaulin declaring the property privately owned and subject to an ongoing right-of-way dispute with the DPWH.
Amara claimed the government still owes him about P28 million for 4,717 square meters of land affected by the project.
He said he signed a memorandum of agreement with DPWH Region 6 on Jan. 17, 2025, under which payment was supposed to be made by December 2025.
After allegedly receiving no response to a demand letter sent to the DPWH Central Office on April 30, 2026, Amara proceeded to close the road.
The road was later reopened after DPWH Region 6 officials met with the landowner and assured him that payment would be made within the month./PN
