Senator Mar Roxas II has proposed a suspension of payments for right-of-way claims for infrastructure projects to augment funds that can be used to stimulate the economy and blunt the adverse effects of the global financial crisis.

But Roxas? proposal was quickly rejected by Senator Edgardo Angara, chairman of the finance committee, who warned that this would only derail the implementation of public works? projects.

?The government can announce a temporary deferment of all road right-of-way payments. Why? Because only the owners of the land will benefit from the fund releases for right-of-way,? Roxas said.

If the money is rechanneled, for instance, to the classroom-building program, ?the government can pay the carpenters, masons and in two months, the completed classrooms can be used by the students.?

Angara shot down Roxas? proposal as impractical because that would prompt engineering contractors to stop work on infrastructure projects, thus burdening the government with ?white elephants,? costly but unusable projects.

Angara cited as example the first phase of the Northrail Project from Caloocan to Malolos where construction work was indefinitely suspended by the Chinese contractor due to unpaid right-of-way payments for owners of the lands along the railway route.

Another flagship project, the Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro City, has also been suspended due to, among others, unresolved right-of-way claims. Fel V. Maragay