Local government units have until tomorrow to complete reclaiming and clearing public roads of all obstructions, the Interior department said Wednesday.
The agency said it will validate the road-clearing performance of LGUs beginning Monday next week.
The deadline for the Department’s Road Clearing Operation 2.0 or RCO 2.0 was supposed to be on Jan. 15, but will instead be on Jan. 22 after the DILG granted a one-week extension at the requests of the LGUs to give them more time to clear roads of obstructions.
In 2019, more than 100 out of the 1,245 LGUs nationwide were found non-compliant with the road-clearing directive of President Rodrigo Duterte and were issued show-cause orders. Fifteen of these were filed with administrative cases by the DILG.
On Wednesday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte oversaw the clearing operations in Balintawak Market where garbage and motorcycles encroaching on the sidewalks were cleared by members of the MMDA’s Metro Parkways Clearing Group.
Vendors were also reminded not to impede the roads and the sidewalks.
According to Abalos, the agency will deploy personnel to help the barangay in maintaining the cleanliness of the roads.
“We leave it to the barangay captain to sustain what we’ve cleared here while we are helping them to rid streets of illegal obstructions,” he said.
Belmonte said since the first road-clearing operations by the DILG, much had changed at the Balintawak Market.
“Our dialogue with the vendors continues to make sure that they are compliant with the road clearing directive,” Belmonte said.
Abalos appealed to the public for discipline but vowed to enforce the strict implementation of the law.
“Our attitude is the solution. If it’s prohibited to throw garbage, don’t do it; park your vehicles properly. If you still violate, we have no choice but to call you out and issue a citation ticket.”
He thanked Belmonte for her full support to the MMDA, underscoring the importance of coordination with all Metro Manila mayors and the public.
“The MMDA cannot do this alone. We need the help of our mayors. As we clear the whole of Metro Manila, we have to find a system as we assist them in complying with President Rodrigo Duterte’s road-clearing order.”