DILG clarifies: So far, no LGU has 100% complied with road clearing order

In this file photo taken on July 30, 2019, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año (fourth from left) calls Metro mayors to the Department of the Interior and Local Government office to announce the start of the 60-day deadline for clearing roads in their areas of obstructions. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — No local government unit (LGU) has so far been declared fully compliant of the directive to clear public roads of obstructions.

This was the clarification made Friday by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) after a September 4 report of Lea Evangelista, local government officer of the DILG-Local Government Monitoring and Evaluating Division, said that Makati, Las Piñas, Marikina, Valenzuela, and Pateros have already cleared their respective jurisdictions of all obstructions – 100 percent.

Evangelista submitted her report to Maria Lourdes Agustin, DILG National Capital Region (NCR) director.

READ: 6 Metro LGUs beat 60-day deadline for clearing roads

According to DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, the assessment of all LGUs will only be released after the 60-day deadline it imposed. LGUs nationwide were given until September 29 to abide by the directive to clear their respective primary and secondary roads of obstructions.

“We have not made any determination on which LGUs are fully compliant because the assessment of all LGUs will come after the 60-day deadline,” Malaya said.

READ: DILG says it is ready to follow Duterte’s order to reclaim public roads

“As stated in the DILG Memorandum Circular-121-2019, being fully compliant is not just about conducting road clearing operations in primary and secondary roads. For an LGU to be declared as fully compliant, they should also enact or revisit ordinances related to road clearing and banning of illegal construction; prepare an inventory of roads within their jurisdiction; develop and implement displacement strategies; and cause the rehabilitation of recovered public roads,” he pointed out.

Malaya said LGUs currently submit a report on their compliance to the order on a weekly basis to DILG regional offices, which will then consolidate and submit the same to DILG Central Office, particularly to the Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS).

“Hence, the data on the national summary of compliance with the MC is only based on ‘what is reported by the LGU’ and is subject to validation by an assessment team from the DILG,” Malaya said.

He said DILG Secretary Eduardo Año has also ordered the creation of validation teams to check on the reported accomplishments of LGUs in reclaiming public roads. Cathrine Gonzales, INQUIRER.net

/kga