Quezon City Mayor Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte, who initiated the cleanup drive, wanted to prepare Cubao for his Metro Centro Development Program by ridding Cubao of garbage and illegal vendors.
Belmonte sees Cubao as the heart of this Metro Centro, which will transform the area into a business district zone similar to Makati and Ortigas, with new high-rise buildings, modern shopping malls, hotels and parks. He hopes this program will enhance the quality of life of the people of Quezon City in the coming years.
The cleanup drive required the cooperation of the Philippine National Police, Traffic Management Group, Metro Manila Development Authority and the Araneta Center Business Association (ACBA).
There were four dump trucks and some 450 persons involved on the first day of the cleanup drive last Nov. 20, where unsightly posters were removed from walls as well as other illegal structures. Garbage was collected and illegal vendors selling food and refreshments were asked to transfer to a place provided for them at the New Frontier.