Delivering Responsive Legal Advisory Service

The Right-of-Way Acquisition and Legal Division (ROWALD has been keeping

its mandate ensuring that all targets are met and even exceeded in order to cater

the needs of both its internal and external clienteles.

Thus, the year 2019 will be remembered for its three significant events for

the Right-of-Way Acquisition and Legal Division (ROWALD): the assumption of all

permanent positions in the Division, the official endorsement of the responsibilities

concerning the right-of-way acquisition (ROWA), and the zero non-conformity

(NC)/opportunity for improvement (OFI) during the ISO 9001:2015 internal audit.

The ROWALD extended its assistance and efforts to the Human Resources

Management Section to beef up the existing personnel complement and to better

respond to the challenges and demands gearing towards improving the quality of

service rendered with the Agency. It embarked on vigorous recruitment to select the

best qualified personnel and ensure that the right people with the right skills are

hired, and whose performance translate the Agency’s vision and mission into desired

results. As of January 2019, 100% of the vacant positions with permanent plantilla

were filled up.

and that was proactively engaged in drafting legal instruments and holding

series of public consultations to keep up with its mandate of legal advice, services

and assistance to the Regional and District offices on all matters involving
enforcement and administration of laws, processing, review, and interpretation of

memoranda of agreement, contract agreements and other legal instruments,

including acquisition of right-of-way for infrastructure projects.

To meet the increasing demand of workload in the Region, the Legal Division

(LD), which was previously known as Legal Staff- a small unit of the Office of the

Regional Director, became an independent and separate division early this year.

The LD of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional

Office 1 plays a significant role in managing and addressing the organization’s

internal legal affairs as well as of the projects being implemented and facilitated by

the Agency.

Among the specific accomplishments of ROWALD for 2019 include:

 Closely coordinated with the Administrative Division and the Agency’s Bids

and Awards Committee in ensuring that all transactions are complied with the

regular processes provided by all applicable policies and laws

 Active participation as Compliance Officer (Regional Team Leader) for the

Privacy and Data Breach Response Team

 Reviewed right-of-way (ROW) documents from all the DEO for action
 More than 100 miscellaneous requests for speaking engagement, and other

legal research/assistance

 Contributed inputs on seven (7) House Bills from Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy S.

Binay, the Committee Chairperson on Tourism; and Sen. Emmanuel D.

Pacquiao, the Committee Chairperson on Public Works and Sports

 Reviewed approximately 75 legal opinions and queries and/or comments,

memorandum of agreement, and civil cases

 Acted more than 20 complaints and/queries through social media (Facebook),

postal mail, E-mail, and 888 Presidential Complaint Center for action

 Received and acted upon 15 legal cases

 Assisted about 214 monitored walk-in clients submitting their requirements

 Two (2) special proceedings involving the Regional Office have been finally

concluded in favor of the government:

a. Salgado (Special Civil Action No. 070-C)

b. Villegas (Special Civil Action 075-C)

 Together with OSG, filed and defended the Regional Office in the following

expropriation cases which are still undergoing trial before various Regional

Trial Courts within Region 1:

a. Flores (Special Civil Action No. 2992-19)

b. Ponco (Civil Case No. 2983-19

c. Daludado & Valdez (Civil Case No. 2982-19)

d. Pimentel (Specia Civil Action No. 7906-V-2018)

 This year, the Division also facilitated the acquisition of ROW for the following 18

infrastructure projects and other physical assets including its transfer in the name of

DPWH:

o Bangui Bypass Road

o Cabugao-Nueva Era-Dangl as Road (Cabugao Section)

o Bantay- San Ildefonso Bypass Road

o Bantay-Vigan Diversion Road

o Bauang- San Fernando City- San Juan Bypass Road (San Juan Section)

o Bauang- San Fernando City- San Juan Bypass Road (Bauang Bridge)

o Agoo Diversion Road

o Villasis- Sto. Tomas Bypass

o Mangatarem- Sta. Cruz Road

o Villamil Bridge Widening

o Tagamusing Bridge Widening

o Camantiles Flood Control

o Lingayen Bypass Road

o Urdaneta Western Bypass Road (2018 and 2017)

o Osmena Bridge

o Laoag City Bypass Road

o Pasuquin Bypass Road

o Laoag-Paoay Airport Road

 Part of the Division’s efforts was also geared towards strengthening and

capacitating its own team through in-depth trainings series to their daily tasks,

like the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE); Right-of-Right Way

Seminar-Workshop; Seminar on the IRR of Republic Act 9184 otherwise known

as the Government Procurement Act; Training on Successful Negotiations for

DPWH Road Right-of-Right Way Acquisition; and Training on Effective

Communication. In relation to this, the Division initiated the implementation of

the Training on Successful Negotiations for DPWH Road Right-of-Right Way

Acquisition where representatives from the different District Engineering Offices

(DEOs) were also called as participants.

Besides its regular roles, the Division is also an advocate in promoting an eco-

friendly and safe working environment, for it has shown exemplary compliance to

the environmental programs/ policies and efforts on environment protection and

conservation during the earthquake drills and clean up day .

2018 DPWH Friendly Regional Office (Environmental Management Program

Sustainability) when awarded as the Eco-Friendliest Room on June 23, 2018.

Photos with caption

Public Consultation pics

Court Hearing pics

Training on Negotiation