MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said it has granted a one-week extension on the deadline for the road clearing operations following requests by local government units (LGU) to give them more time to clear roads of obstructions.

The DILG said that instead of January 15, LGUs have been given until January 22 to complete their road clearing efforts.

“We extended the deadline for road clearing operations 2.0 because these are extraordinary times; we are in a pandemic and LGUs have a lot on their plate. We understand the request so the Department granted it,” DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

The DILG announced in November last year the resumption of nationwide road clearing operations, giving the LGUs 60 days to comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to rid streets of illegal obstructions.

“This is, in a way, a little help to the LGUs so that they have more time to comply with the President’s directive,” Malaya said.

The validation period will be on January 25 to February 5, he added.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año previously said that the road clearing operations now are different due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said full implementation of the road clearing operations is enforced in areas under modified general community quarantine. Partial implementation is executed in areas under general community quarantine while road clearing operations in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine and enhanced community quarantine are suspended.

Malaya said that prior to the start of the validation period, the DILG will create validation teams in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), for each province, city and municipality.

“This time around mayroon tayong validation teams na established at cross-posted, meaning, kung taga-Quezon City sila hindi sila puwede mag-validate sa QC, dapat nasa Taguig City sila o alin mang ibang lungsod,” he said.

Among the validation requisites are the actual removal of road obstructions; enactment of an enabling ordinance; conduct of an inventory of road obstructions; crafting and implementation of a displacement plan; rehabilitation of cleared roads; creation of a grievance mechanism; as well as the Tricycle Route Plan, the DILG said.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday called on local government units (LGU) to resume the nationwide road-clearing operations in their respective areas and expedite implementation as the 60-day deadline ends on January 15, 2021.

“Now that the holidays are over, we expect all LGUs to pick up where they left off in their road clearing operations. They were supposed to start November 16 last year up to January 15,” DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

Malaya, however, stressed that while the deadline ends on January 15, the road clearing operation is a year-round activity that requires sustained effort and implementation.

“Balik trabaho na naman po tayo kaya kailangan nating seryosohin ang road clearing para sa mas maluwag na lansangan at para na rin sa kapakanan nating lahat,” he said.

According to the DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-145, areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) should fully implement the road-clearing operations by January 15, which means the implementation of all components of road clearing.

The circular also states that full implementation includes the removal of road and sidewalk obstructions, conduct of road inventories, physical removal of road obstructions without prejudice to the property rights of the affected stakeholders, crafting and implementation of displacement plans, rehabilitation, and maintenance of cleared roads, and creation of a grievance mechanism.

LGUs under general community quarantine (GCQ) are expected to do a partial implementation of the road clearing operations which is limited to the actual or physical removal or abatement of road and sidewalk obstructions that are considered hazardous to motorists and pedestrians.

These include unauthorized parked vehicles, illegal structures, nuisances, and any other structures erected along or standing on, made immovable or otherwise, that impede safe and convenient passage through public road or sidewalk.

Meanwhile, road clearing operations are suspended in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

President Rodrigo Duterte retained the GCQ classification of the National Capital Region and Davao City effective January 1 until January 31, 2021, subject to LGUs’ appeals.

Also under GCQ are Isabela, Santiago City, Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan City, and Davao del Norte.

All other areas are placed under MGCQ.

Malaya said that validation of provincial, city, and municipal compliance would be conducted from January 18 to 22, 2021.

Included in the items to be validated by the DILG Validation Teams are the Tricycle Route Plans in their respective areas to ensure that alternate routes are provided to tricycles which are prohibited by law from operating on national highways across the country.

“Sa pagpapatuloy po ng serbisyo sa bagong taon ay huwag po nating kalimutan ang pagkakaroon ng disiplina sa pagsusuot ng face mask at face shield, paghuhugas ng kamay at pag-distansya ng isang metro,” Malaya said.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday reminded local government units (LGU) to observe minimum health standards as they begin their 60-day road clearing operations.

After eight months of suspension due to the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the LGU road clearing operations will resume nationwide on Monday except for areas under modified enhanced community quarantine and those still flooded due to recent typhoons.

“The road clearing operations are needed to ensure orderliness as we revive local economies without being complacent against COVID-19. Our transition to the ‘new normal’ calls for the need to ensure that our roads remain safe, accessible, and free from illegal and potentially hazardous encroachments,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.

“Bagaman patuloy ang serbisyo publiko at mga inisyatibo para manumbalik ang sigla ng ekonomiya, buhay at kalusugan pa rin ang pinakamahalaga. Panatilihin ang disiplina sa pagsusuot ng face mask at face shield, i-sanitize ang mga kamay at dumistansya ng isang metro sa bawat isa,” he added.

Under DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-145, the resumption of road-clearing operations will vary, in different degrees, depending on the quarantine classification of a certain area.

Areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) levels should render full implementation of road clearing operations.

Año said that full implementation includes the removal of road and sidewalk obstructions, conduct of road inventories, physical removal of road obstructions without prejudice to the property rights of the affected stakeholders, crafting and implementation of displacement plans, rehabilitation, and maintenance of cleared roads, and creation of a grievance mechanism.

Areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) will execute the partial implementation of the program, which means it is limited to the actual or physical removal or abatement of road and sidewalk obstructions that are considered hazardous to motorists and pedestrians.

These are unauthorized parked vehicles, illegal structures, nuisances, and any other structures erected along or standing on, made immovable or otherwise, that impede safe and convenient passage through public road or sidewalk. The partial implementation also includes road clearing to establish bicycle lanes.

Meanwhile, road clearing operations are suspended in areas under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

The DILG chief clarified that LGUs are not expected to conduct road clearing in villages, subdivisions, barrios, or along roads, streets, or alleys that are declared to be under localized ECQ or MECQ.

Meanwhile, DILG Spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that while the pandemic is not yet over, some structures or vehicles shall be exempt from removal or apprehension by LGUs concerning the fight against COVID-19.

“Iyong mga parked ambulances at public emergency vehicles at saka checkpoints ng LGUs, Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), pulisya o militar pati na rin ang pansamantalang istruktura para sa bicycle lanes ay exempted po sa road clearing operations,” Malaya said.

Structures erected for locally stranded individuals (LSIs) shall be removed upon their return to their intended LGU destination.

He also clarified that all road closures currently set up by barangays without enabling ordinances nor approval from concerned authorities shall be dismantled and cleared to ensure unhampered public conveyance. Barangays under ECQ or MECQ may put up such road closures subject to the approval of concerned authorities.

The deadline for all barangays to submit a report on their road clearing operations conducted in November is on December 15.

Meanwhile, the validation of provincial, city and municipal compliance with the road clearing operations shall be conducted on January 18 to 22, 2021.

Among the items to be validated by the DILG Validation Teams are the tricycle route plans in their respective areas to ensure that alternate routes are provided to tricycles who are prohibited by law from operating in national highways across the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address last year, ordered the DILG and LGUs to reclaim all public roads being used for private ends.

The road clearing operations were suspended in March in line with efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.