ILOILO City – The road clearing operation of the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) is going smoothly.
It has not met resistance from owners of road obstructions, said PSTMO chief Jeck Conlu.
In fact, these owners were voluntarily removing or demolishing the obstructions, he added.
Barangay officials were also cooperative, said Conlu.
Yesterday, PSTMO cleared roads in barangays Aguinaldo, Alalasan and Jalandoni Estate in La Paz district.
“Nagpang-dismantle na sila daan so gamay na lang ang amon ginpang-dismantle,” said Love Joy Hosenilla, head of the Task Force on Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures (Asis).
The task force is under PSTMO’s supervision.
Most of the road obstructions removed were sari-sari stores.
Even the barangay hall of Alalasan was not spared as it was illegally erected in the road right of way, said Conlu.
Beginning July 25, Mayor Jerry Treñas issued a seven-day ultimatum to owners of road obstructions.
But PSTMO deemed it wise to conduct road clearing ahead of the deadline.
“Ang ulobrahon masyado gid ka damo,” said Hosenilla.
Today, PSTMO would be clearing roads from Barangay Infante, Molo district toward the City Proper.
On Aug. 1, the next targets are areas surrounding the Iloilo Terminal Market.
The real challenge, according to Conlu, is keeping the city’s roads unobstructed after the clearing operations.
For this, the PSTMO would be counting on the help of barangay officials, he said.
His office would also be conducting nightly inspections.
Conlu also urged residents to report road obstructions.
Illegal parking won’t be tolerated, too, according to Mayor Treñas, citing the order of President Rodrigo Duterte for local chief executives to reclaim all public roads that are being used for private end.
“This is a direct order from the President. The city government is complying or we will face suspension,” said Treñas.
He added: “Indi lang ako. Barangay officials will also be suspended where illegal road structures and obstructions are found.”
According to Regional Director Ariel Iglesia of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Western Visayas, the President repeated his order during a meeting with the mayors and governors on July 23 at Manila Hotel.
During his State of the Nation Address on July 22, President Duterte ordered DILG secretary Eduardo Año to be tough on local chief executives tolerating road obstructions.
“If there is a mayor or a governor or kung ano kang…sino kang demonyo ka, i-suspend mo, Sir Año. Give him time and if he cannot, if he is not up to it, then papahingahin mo na lang. Suspend mo na,” said Duterte./PN
