MMDA chief going after other city obstructions

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando has urged all of business establishments and homeowners to voluntarily demolish any part of their structures that exceed the legal limits or obstruct the movement of pedestrians.

Fernando said it would be better for all those affected to remove the obstructions on their own rather than wait for the MMDA operatives to demolish it for them.

He explained that on major thoroughfares, pedestrians should have a two-meter area along the sidewalks for which to walk on. The structures should be located 10 meters away from the road.

The MMDA has started identifying the boundaries by spray painting structures with red arrows to indicate the exact point on which construction is allowed.

Most of the areas covered by the MMDA have structures constructed beyond the boundaries. Owners have been advised to immediately remove them voluntarily.

Fernando pointed out that affected parties have no choice but to comply because they violate provisions of the National Building Code.

In case the owners cannot afford to demolish structures, the MMDA will gladly do the job for them.

He added that owners could also opt to reimburse the cost of the demolition from the government, through the MMDA.

Fernando said all homeowners will be affected by the rule even if the areas are located inside private villages and subdivisions.

The MMDA chief said the focus of the drive would be on sidewalks in front of houses that have been treated as part of the property of homeowners.

"Gardens, dog cages and other extensions of the houses will have to be removed because homeowners do not own the sidewalks," Fernando said.

The removal of the structures is part of the ongoing campaign of Fernando to restore the sidewalks to the pedestrians by eliminating all obstructions.

His campaign has already sparked a lot of opposition particularly from illegal vendors who have been forcefully removed from their selling areas.