By Paulo Loreto Lim

The Iloilo City Public Safety and Traffic Management Office (PSTMO) announced their campaign to clear all barangay roads of illegal structures is set to begin this month, in an effort to decongest city roads.

“We are currently conducting an inventory of all streets which can be used as alternate [roads], so that private cars can pass through those streets and [avoid] congestion [along] main roads,” said PSTMO head Jeck Conlu.

“We begin the year by giving back the road to the public,” he added.

Owners of illegal structures will be issued three notices informing them items will be demolished by the city government.

Conlu also reached out to all of the city’s barangay captains to inform their residents.

“We would like to encourage our barangay captains to lead the clearing of roads,” he said.

Back in October, then-acting Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III ordered the removal of illegal structures from the city’s Jaro Plaza. The mayor observed kiosks were “causing hindrance to pedestrians as well as motor vehicles,” which he said eventually results in traffic congestion.

Espinosa later issued a similar order for the city’s Mandurriao Plaza./PLL, WDJ