By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Bacolod City is aiming for 100 percent compliance in relation to government agency’s road clearing operations. DILG-Bacolod director, Ma. Joy Maredith Madayag, said both city and barangay officials have a lot of work to do in terms of clearing the roads.
She added, around 30 percent of the city’s road obstructions remain, which include informal settlers, junk, illegal parking, encroachment, among other hazards.
Madayag hopes all city barangays will be fully compliant by May.
She said the department issued a new memorandum circular last week, February 13, providing guidelines on continued implementation of the presidential directive to clear roads of illegal obstructions.
The local government, particularly barangays, were given 75 calendar days, from February 16 to April 30, to implement the recent memorandum.
Meanwhile, May 8 is the deadline to submit validation reports.
DILG earlier rated the city at 87 percent during its first evaluation.
The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) recently announced they have intensified their campaign against illegal parking.
BTAO head, Police Lt. Colonel Luisito Acebuche, said the campaign began last Monday and they have since issued tickets against 30 vehicles either illegally parked or obstructing roads in Barangays 1, 35, Bata, and Alijis./DGB, WDJ