Manila Subway wins: Corinthian Gardens residents settle for ₱222.2 million in landmark right-of-way easement deal

Manila: After weeks of debate, residents of one of Metro Manila’s most exclusive enclaves have agreed to grant government easements for the Manila Subway, settling for ₱222.2 million ($3.83 million) in compensation rather than risk a protracted court battle – with no payout.

On September 28, the Corinthian Gardens Association, Inc. (CGAI), whose members include more than 300 of Manila's elite, voted to sign a “deed of easement” with the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

This allows the construction of one of the 17 stations of the $9-billion Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) within the gated community. 

The deal covers five road lots and one open area needed for the country’s first underground rail system.

The decision comes just a few days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (ARROW) Act, or Republic Act 12289.

This pivotal new legislation amended the 2016 Right-of-Way Act to fast-track land acquisition for critical infrastructure projects. 

As the ARROW Act kicks in, the government will no longer provide cash compensation for easements, prompting Corinthian residents to act before the cutoff date.

Voting

CGAI secured the minimum 318 affirmative votes required during its special membership meeting, with members ultimately weighing the risks of litigation against the certainty of compensation. 

A court battle could have dragged on for years and delayed the subway project further. At the same time, residents faced the risk of receiving nothing under the new law.

Test case under ARROW Act

The Corinthian easement has become an early test case for the ARROW Act.

The new law, enacted by the 20th Congress and signed by President Ferdinande Marcos Jr on September 12, streamlines acquisition processes, mandates fair compensation, and bars temporary restraining orders (TROs) from delaying government projects. 

The latter (TROs) has become a thorn in the side of any public infrastructure project in the Asian country, and has become the biggest cause of delay even for key projects of national significance.

It also expands coverage to public-private partnerships (PPPs), foreign-assisted initiatives, and utilities relocation.

Tunnel boring machines

The subway’s CP103 tunnel boring machine has already begun cutting an 850-meter segment from Camp Aguinaldo toward Ortigas, passing beneath Corinthian Hills and Corinthian Gardens at depths of 19 to 39 meters. 

That stretch alone affects 69-privately owned parcels.

Game-changer for Manila

The DOTr has billed the 33-km Manila Subway as a game-changing project linking northern Metro Manila to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Partial operations are targeted for 2028, with full completion in the early 2030s.

New right-of-way law

Economists view the ARROW Act as one of the most consequential reforms for unlocking infrastructure growth. 

The law is designed to:

• Accelerate ROW acquisition, cutting costly delays that have historically added billions to project budgets.

• Guarantee just compensation, pegged to updated market valuations under the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act of 2024 (RA 12001).

• Enhance transparency and accountability.

• Mandates penalties for private entities that obstruct projects and requirements for public disclosure of ROW data.

• Safeguard resettlement and the environment, mandating relocation sites for displaced families and ecological assessments for affected areas.

For the business community, the Corinthian Gardens case highlights a new way forward, as well the government’s firm stance on ROW disputes and the urgency for landowners to cooperate.