MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government has urged the local government units (LGUs) with low compliance or have failed ratings to do better and continue with their initiatives to clear the roads of obstructions.

The department made the statement on Tuesday (October 22) following the release of the validation results of the national road clearing program.

“Sustained operations are the key to success in the road-clearing operations. You need to exert more effort by eliciting the support of your punong barangays and your constituents. But everything begins with the political will of the mayor,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año.

“There will be another validation in December and from now up to the end of the year, LGUs will have to conduct sustained operations to restore discipline in all public roads and streets,” he added.

The latest data from the DILG-Bureau of Local Government Supervision shows that, as of October 16, 2019, of the 1,516 validated LGUs, 387 got a high compliance rating, 635 got medium compliance, and 393 got low compliance.

One hundred one (101) LGUs received a failed rating and were issued show-cause orders by the Department.

The secretary cited Taguig City for its commitment “to implement its mobility plan to give residents and visitors quicker and safer travels beyond the 60-day deadline imposed by the DILG” despite its low compliance rating.

“That is the kind of attitude that we want. This should be a challenge for LGUs to take the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) directive seriously because, at the end of the day, we will all benefit from the law and order brought about by cleared roads,” Año said.

Meanwhile, the DILG also issued a show-cause order to 99 barangay chairmen in Manila on Tuesday.

The DILG said the officials were not able to sustain the order in the respective areas after the 60-day clearing operations.

The officials are given 15 days to explain their non-compliance.

“Doon po sa barangay, may nakitaan po kaming pagkukulang nung Kapitan. So it is possible that even if your city or municipality passed, your barangay did not. We are trying to make that distinction in reaction to the complaints that were received by the Office of Usec Martin Dino,” said DILG spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.

Usec. Dino said these barangay officials may get suspended once they are proven to have been negligent of their duties.

“Definitely maraming masasampolan, most especially here in Metro Manila. Not only in Manila all over Metro Manila. Now it depends doon sa mga reklamo,” Dino said.

The department said it has pictures and documents proving that there had been negligence on the part of the barangay chairmen in Manila when sidewalk vendors and illegal parking have gotten back to some part of the city’s everyday scenario.

“Nag- clearing operations nga si Mayor at ang ating mga Engineering at ang ating MMDA e pagtalikod naman ng Clearing Operations bumalik. It is now the responsibility of the Brgy Captain to maintain the Clearing Operations na nangyari,” Dino added. (with details from Aiko Miguel) /mbmf 

MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has urged local chief executives of Metro Manila to continue their road clearing operations after the end of the 60-day deadline to rid public roads and sidewalks of obstructions as directed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim made the call when he presided over the Metro Manila Council (MMC) meeting in Makati on Thursday (Oct. 3). The MMC is the governing arm and policy-making body of the MMDA.

Lim lauded the efforts of the Metro Manila mayors in clearing the streets of obstructions, but noted that sustaining the operations is the “greater challenge of the campaign.”

“Our work is not yet finished. This is a continuing project. We have to maintain and sustain our clearing operations amid the increasing number of vehicles that worsen traffic in Metro Manila,” Lim said.

Lim cited that in the past 10 years, the number of registered vehicles in Metro Manila has almost doubled while its road network has only increased by seven percent.

He added that at least 900 vehicles are being added to the average daily volume of vehicular traffic along EDSA and major thoroughfares in the metropolis.

“This is the problem which Metro Manila is facing. Cars are multiplying but the road capacity has barely changed. Infrastructure projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program are underway,” the MMDA chief said.

“While waiting for the completion of the infrastructure projects, let us maintain what we have started. This is the greater challenge of the campaign. There is no overnight solution to address our traffic problems,” he added.

Majority of the obstructions cleared in Metro Manila during the 60-day deadline were illegally-parked vehicles and sidewalk vendors as well as structures like barangay and police outposts.

In line with this, council members have agreed to institutionalize the clearing of obstructions through a resolution to be adopted by 17 local government units in Metro Manila.

The agency also reiterated that barangay officials play a major role in keeping roads clear of obstructions.

“It is the responsibility of the barangay chairmen to maintain cleared roads,” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said.

The MMDA also assured it is ready to assist local governments in clearing public roads.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier said it is now completing its validation report on the performance and compliance of local government units to the road clearing order.

The results of its assessment may be released next week.

The Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) will continue conducting road clearing operations even after the two-month deadline imposed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Authorities said there has been a huge improvement in Quezon City roads after they began conducting road clearing operations.

“First time kong nakitang ganoon—na parang landingan na eroplano sa linis ang mga road ways natin, (It was my first time to see something like that—it was like an airplane runway)” according to Quezon City DPOS Head Elmo San Diego.

San Diego also assured that barangay officials will continue to monitor their respective areas to ensure that roads remain free from obstructions.

“Ma-sustain sana namin, tumulong [sana] iyong mamamayan natin. Sila ang susi sa tagumpay sa Quezon City, (We hope to sustain it. We hope the people will help. They are the key to the success of Quezon City),” he said.

Meanwhile, the DILG clarified there will be no deadline extension on the road clearing directive.

DILG Spokespperson Usec. Jonathan Malaya said mayors who failed to comply under the said deadline will be accountable. However, they will still let the mayors explain their side on the matter.

“Before we submit the names to the Office of the President gusto namin siya pagpaliwanagin, (we want to hear their explanation)” Malaya said.—AAC (with reports from Aiko Miguel)