LOOK: QC gov’t clears Cubao streets

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City (QC) government on Friday started clearing Cubao’s streets and sidewalks of illegally-parked vehicles and other obstructions.

Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

The QC Task Force for Transport and Traffic Management (QC-TFTTM) towed about 20 vehicles and issued citation tickets to about 50 vehicles illegally parked along Aurora Boulevard and along Cambridge, Purdue, and Imperial streets.

“Nagkakaroon tayo ng clearing operation dito sa Cubao dahil ito’y isang napakahalagang bahagi ng Quezon City,” QC-TFTTM head Ariel Inton said in an interview.

“We’re clearing up the roads, ‘yung mga hindi sumusunod sa one-side parking at saka ‘yung mga abandoned vehicles ay hinihila na natin at kine-clear din natin yung mga sidewalk dito,” he added.

Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

Inton said the task force will also monitor the traffic along Aurora Boulevard to weed out public utility vehicles (PUVs) that are loading and unloading passengers illegally.

Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

Its clearing operations are in compliance with the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) order to local chief executives to clear their city’s roads within 60 days.

READ: 60-day countdown for LGUs to clear public roads starts Monday – Año

READ: Duterte orders Año: Suspend mayors, governors refusing to clear public roads

To keep the streets clear of obstructions, Inton said the local government would need the cooperation from both residents and barangays.

Eduardo Payad, a resident of the area, denounced the surprise clearing operation, saying the task force did not give him the chance to remove his vehicle even though he was already seated at the driver’s seat.

“Nandun yung driver, dapat pinabayaan muna nila na makaalis, hindi yung hinarang nila at bigla na lang ito-tow. Paalis na, hinarangan nila, paano makakaalis yung owner?,” he said.  /muf