Monday, June 22, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES [ BusinessWorld Online ]
THE QUEZON CITY government last week received partial reimbursement for some P58 million it paid for acquisition of right of way through Congressional Avenue Extension, which is part of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)-South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) link project.
In a telephone interview over the weekend, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. said that the city government received P31.34 million of the P58 million it paid in advance to seven lot owners for the acquisition of right of way.
"There are still two lot owners whom the government has not come to terms with yet. Negotiations are still ongoing," he said.
He said that city government advanced funds for the acquisition of right of way under a memorandum of agreement signed with the Department of Public Works and Highways in 2007. "Under the said agreement, the funds will be returned to us once the funds from the national government are available," he said.
He said that the city government decided to help even if the NLEX-SLEX link is a national government project, since it would also benefit constituents of the city.
In a mobile "text" message yesterday, Public Works Undersecretary Romeo S. Momo said the project concerned would link Congressional Avenue to Mindanao Avenue. From there, the route will go up to Republic Act junction then NLEX Segment 8.1 now being undertaken by the Manila North Tollways Corporation. — L. D. Desiderio
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