Local government units under the General Community Quarantine status, including Bacolod City, are only allowed to do a partial implementation of road clearing operations, Department of Interior and Local Government spokesperson, Jonathan Malaya, said.
It is limited to the actual or physical removal or abatement of road and sidewalk obstructions that are considered hazardous to motorists and pedestrians, Malaya said in a statement, referring to unauthorized parked vehicles, illegal structures, nuisances, and other structures erected along or standing on, that are immovable or otherwise, and impede safe and convenient passage through public roads or sidewalks.
Barangay officials of Tangub in Bacolod City led the clearing operations Saturday at Ramylu Drive, in compliance with the order issued by the DILG.
Malaya said that all road closures installed by barangays without an enabling ordinances or approval from concerned authorities shall be dismantled and cleared to ensure unhampered public convenience.
The DILG has issued Memorandum Circular No. 2020-145, giving LGUs 60 days, from November 16 to January 15, 2021, to comply with the presidential directive to resume the clearing of roads of illegal structures and constructions.
The road clearing operations had been suspended eight months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the road clearing operations will put more order in the streets of the Bacolod City, that earlier earned a compliance rating of 87 percent for the implementation of the program during the initial validation in October 2019.
The punong barangays must comply with the presidential directive on road clearing, otherwise they will face administrative sanctions from the DILG, Leonardia said.
The DILG enjoins LGUs to observe minimum health standards during the resumption of road clearing operations, except in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine and ECQ, and those still flooded due to recent typhoons.
The deadline for all barangays to submit the report on their road clearing operations conducted in November is on December 15, and validation shall be conducted on Jan. 18 to 22 next year.*GPB
