Erap: Stop anarchy in city streets
MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada ordered on Friday a “thorough cleanup” of Manila streets, saying the “anarchy” must stop.
“This is continuous, not just Divisoria. Next is Quiapo, all the districts. We will comb through them… Anarchy in our streets has to stop,” Estrada said.
In line with this, he ordered the Manila Police District (MPD), barangay officials and “concerned city hall offices” to “continue with the road clearing operations to rid the capital city of all forms of obstructions and discipline unruly vendors, motorists and pedestrians.”
In Divisoria, in particular, Estrada instructed the MPD and Task Force Divisoria to include in their clearing operations the area’s “hot spots” which include the stretch of Recto Avenue going to Divisoria, Blumentritt, Reina Regente, Soler, Abad Santos, Antonio Rivera, Juan Luna, Narra, Plaza Ruiz and Sta. Elena.
The mayor told the MPD to “liberate” the roads “invaded” by illegal vendors, undisciplined motorists and pedestrians.
He said they should also go after the operators of illegal terminals of jeepney, tricycles and pedicabs that have been causing heavy traffic in the area.
“I pity them also,” Estrada said of the illegal vendors in Divisoria, many of whom were reportedly non-Manila residents.
“But I’m always for the good of the greater number of people…. It doesn’t matter if they are not from Manila, they should follow the law. They should stay only in the spaces [alloted to] them,” he said.
He added he did not want to see “mountains of uncollected garbage” on the streets.
“Bringing back Manila’s beauty and old glory entails so many sacrifices. So we have to do this,” Estrada said.
