EDITORIAL - Summoning political will

Complying with the national order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, some local government units in Cebu have started clearing streets and sidewalks of illegal structures, especially in congested areas.

In Cebu City, the team of Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement launched clearing operations area along major streets in downtown. The PROBE office also restored order at Carbon market, where many vendors have encroached on streets for years.

Roads near and around Tabunok market in Talisay City have also been cleared on order of Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas. The City of Talisay Traffic Operations Development Authority removed makeshift stalls and stores blocking the streets that made Tabunok one of the most heavily congested areas in Metro Cebu.

A walk down Cebu City’s downtown area or in Tabunok in Talisay City these days, one would see major changes as traffic has significantly improved. There’s no more eyesore along some sidewalks that were used to be home to dozens of vendors for years.

One significant thing we learned from this recent campaign is that there’s really a need for local officials to demonstrate political will if we want to effect changes. Of course, political will can be useless if the local government, for political purposes, hesitates to summon it.

The reason why illegal vendors have been forcibly imposing their presence on the streets and sidewalks for years is that some local officials do not bother to touch them since evicting them is tantamount to political suicide.

As clearing of streets and sidewalks continues, we do hope that this drive is not just mere compliance with the DILG order. Local officials must see to it that those cleared portions should remain free from vendors and other eyesores because that is the most important part of the campaign.