MMDA:  90 percent of Mabuhay Lanes, 60 percent inner roads cleared

MANILA, Philippines – Ninety percent of Mabuhay Lanes and other national roads and 60 percent of inner lanes have already been cleared of obstructions,  Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia said Tuesday.

“According sa mga mayors natin yung national roads and Mabuhay Lanes, 90 percent. Iyong inner roads, nasa 60 percent,” Garcia said in an interview after a meeting with Metro Manila mayors.

According to Garcia, it would be hard to compare the accomplishment rates of each of the 16 cities and one municipality given the differences of the local government sizes.

Nevertheless, Garcia said the lowest percentage rate from all the cities is at 60 percent.

“Paano mo ma-compare Pateros at QC eh Pateros baka wala pang isang barangay sa QC,” Garcia said.

“Ang maganda lahat sila nagtatrabaho lahat sila tinatawag yung kapitan nagkakasundo. Lahat kami sa Metro Manila Council nagkakasundo na, ito tama,” he added.

Given the accomplishment reports from the Metro Manila mayors, Garcia said that the Metro Manila Council sees no need to extend the 60-day deadline set by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the clearing of roads.

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivares meanwhile has assured the council that measures are now being taken by the city to comply with the order of the DILG.

Olivares said he is addressing the problem of traffic congestion along major roads first to be followed by the clearing of secondary and tertiary roads.

“Ang inuna namin for the first two weeks yung major roads and thoroughfares, Baclaran, Redemptorist, yung Bicutan and Sucat, at unti-unti na tayong pumapasok sa mga secondary and tertiary roads,” he said.

“Ang challenge na lang samin, ang problema na lang amin sa secondary road yung mga sasakyan so hinahanapan lang namin sila ng bakanteng lugar na hindi gamitin yung kalsada, gawin siyang parking lot,” he added.

Based on the data provided by the MMDA, Parañaque City is now 80 percent complete in its road clearing operations.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora also boasted that his city is already 80 percent done in its clearing of both major and inner roads.

He added that the local government of San Juan will be able to comply with the DILG’s order even before the deadline ends on September 29.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto for his part remains optimistic that he would beat the deadline of the DILG in clearing road obstructions despite only having cleared at least 50 percent of all city roads.

“So far very productive naman tayo sa ating clearing operations sa Pasig siguro masasabi natin na between 50 to 60 percent na rin ang road clearing natin [both major and inner roads],” he said in an interview.

Sotto said that all 30 barangay captains in his city are complying with the order of the DILG to reclaim public roads to the public.

Given that the order of the DILG is already halfway done and with only at least 50 percent having been cleared, Sotto said the local government is “on track” in its clearing of major and inner roads.

He added that the Pasig city government is also doing its best to minimize traffic congestion in the city.

“Nagko-cooperate tayo sa MMDA, sa iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan natin, at sa ibang local governments,” Sotto said.

According to the breakdown of the MMDA, Marikina City has reported that it is 100 percent complete (overall) in its road clearing operations; Malabon (100 percent complete-major roads), Muntinlupa (100 percent complete-major roads), Mandaluyong (100 percent complete-major roads), Pateros (98 percent-both major and inner roads), Las Piñas (90 percent-major roads), Manila (90 percent-Mabuhay lanes only), Pasay (100 percent-major roads only), Caloocan (100 percent complete-major roads) and Navotas (70 percent-both major and inner roads).

It will also be noted that Marikina City was the first local government unit to comply with the order of the DILG.

READ: Marikina beats 60-day deadline to clear roads

The MMDA has not provided any data for the cities of Caloocan, Taguig, Makati, and Quezon City

Meanwhile, Garcia said the number of cars should also be taken into consideration in the road clearing operations.

“Everyday kasi may nadadagdag na sasakyan. So talagang ang problema talaga ng mayors natin yung illegal parking kahit saan nakapark,” Garcia said.

“Hinuhuli naman natin yan tino-tow natin yan pero talagang marami pa rin ang matigas ang ulo eh,” he added.  /muf