The Bacolod City government will resume its road clearing operations on Monday, November 16, after the activity was temporarily suspended for seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is in compliance with the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2020-145 giving all local government units (LGUs) 60 days, from November 16, 2020 until January 15, 2021, to comply with the presidential directive to resume the clearing of roads of illegal structures and constructions.
DILG-Bacolod city director Ma. Joy Maredith Madayag briefed the 61 punong barangays of Bacolod on this presidential directive at the Bacolod City Government Center last Tuesday. Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and City Legal Officer, Atty. Joselito Bayatan, also attended the briefing.
They were joined by Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) acting city director, Pol. Col. Manuel Placido; Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) head, Pol. Lt. Col. Luisito Acebuche; BCPO Deputy for Operations, Lt. Col. Lester Leada; Executive Assistant Butch Soliguen; Office of the Building Official head, Engr. Nestor Velez; and city engineers.
Leonardia said the road clearing operations will put more order in the streets of the city, which earlier earned a compliance rating of 87% for the implementation of the program during the initial validation in October 2019.
He added that the punong barangays must comply with the presidential directive on road clearing, otherwise they will face administrative sanctions from the DILG.
This road clearing program is also related to the fight against COVID-19.
Section 4 (II) of Republic Act 11494, or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” provides that part of the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Interventions include the regulation of traffic on all roads, streets and bridges, and access thereto and the prohibition against putting up of encroachments or obstacles.
Further, Section 17 (b) of the Local Government Code of 1991 mandates all provincial, city, municipal, and barangay governments to manage and maintain roads within their jurisdiction as a basic service and facility.
Madayag, for her part, discussed the salient points of DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-145, reiterating the roles of the barangay and the reports needed to be accomplished. She also gave a refresher on the previous issuances issued by the DILG and the importance of coordinated efforts.
Madayag explained that the implementation of the road clearing program depends on the community quarantine status of the LGU.
She said partial implementation will be imposed in Bacolod City while it is under general community quarantine (GCQ) this November, which is limited to the actual removal or abatement of road and sidewalk obstructions that are considered dangerous to motorists and pedestrians, and road clearing for the purpose of establishing bike lanes.
However, she said, full implementation will be imposed if Bacolod transitions to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), which requires LGUs to adopt all components of the road clearing operations./WDJ
