DILG: All LGUs must clear roads

MANILA, Philippines — All local government units (LGUs) in the country are required to rid roads of obstructions, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said yesterday.

DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the directive issued by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to remove road obstructions in 60 days covers not only Metro Manila but the entire country.

“No local government is exempted from the directive. We are just giving extra attention to Metro Manila because the problem of road obstructions is most acute in the National Capital Region,” he said in a statement.

President Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address, ordered the LGUs to reclaim public roads which are being used for private purposes.

“The instruction to DILG to recommend the suspension of negligent mayors also applies to those in the provinces,” Malaya said.

Since the road clearing efforts will be a continuing activity, Malaya said their regional offices are required to submit weekly compliance and progress reports.

He warned local chief executives outside of Metro Manila could also face suspension if there is no significant improvement in their respective areas.

“We want to send a strong message that we in the DILG mean business and we will make sure that everyone complies with the President’s directive,” he said.

PNP to demolish offices that block sidewalks

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will demolish police offices that obstruct streets in support of Duterte’s directive to reclaim public roads.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde led the demolition of a police community precinct at Barangay West Crame in San Juan City yesterday morning. He was accompanied by Mayor Francis Zamora and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

The 30-square-meter precinct was destroyed as it is located on the sidewalk on West street. Around 12 police officers assigned at the precinct will hold office at the barangay hall until a new precinct is constructed on another street, officials said.

Albayalde said the police precinct they demolished was erected in 1985, a time when traffic was not a problem in Metro Manila.

Eleazar said they are conducting an inventory of police offices in Metro Manila that have become obstructions.

Zamora said the demolition of the precinct shows they are not targeting only the poor to comply with the President’s order.