THE Supreme Court has issued a directive that designates a number of regional trial courts (RTCs) as ‘special expropriation courts’ to handle expropriation cases concerning national railway projects. This is a significant step toward reducing one of the most common and contentious obstacles to infrastructure development, but the ruling as issued does not go far enough.

Under AM 24-06-65-RTC, the Supreme Court designated RTCs in the National Capital judicial region and the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 11th judicial regions to hear expropriation cases involving national railway projects. These projects include the Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway System, Mindanao Railway Project and Philippine National Railway South Long-Haul Project. Altogether, the directive covers 10 RTC branches in different cities in Metro Manila; three each in Pampanga, Bulacan, Batangas, Quezon and Camarines Sur; five in Laguna; one in Albay; two in Davao del Norte; and one in Davao City.