Five (5) months after the presidential directive to clear the roads of illegal obstructions, the operation resumes this year pursuant to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-027 issued last February 07, 2020.
Also known as “Road Clearing 2.0”, the DILG memorandum specifies the responsibilities of all local government units (LGUs) to manage and to maintain roads within their jurisdiction as a basic service and facility.
LGUs are directed to continue doing these six (6) tasks: Enact, List, Clear, Strategize, Restore, and Establish. First, to enact or review existing ordinance/s that provide for the conduct of road clearing operations and the prohibition of road obstructing structures and constructions. Second, to list down or conduct an inventory of roads within its jurisdiction in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineering Office (DEO).
Local officials are also asked to regularly conduct road clearing operations to remove obstructions in all provincial, city, municipal, and barangay roads, and national primary and secondary roads. Next, is to strategize on how will they implement displacement plans for those affected by the conduct of road clearing operations.
It is also the responsibility of the LGUs to ensure that the cleared roads are rehabilitated and restored for public use. Lastly, they are to establish a feedback or grievance mechanism, either physical or electronic, through which citizens can report unremoved obstructions, provide suggestions, and air out implementation concerns.
“DILG Cordillera will closely monitor our LGUs because it is underscored in the directive that significant results must be achieved within seventy-five (75) calendar days,” recapped DILG Cordillera regional director Engr. Marlo Iringan.
Dir. Iringan also said that it is the department’s duty to create teams who are responsible to validate, monitor, and assess for at least once in every two weeks. The team shall compose of representatives from DILG (regional to local), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Following the 75-day implementation, validation reports shall be submitted not later than April 30, 2020.
In case of non-compliance, LCEs shall be issued show-cause orders. Failure to provide a sufficient response shall result to the filing of appropriate administrative cases pursuant to Section 60 (c) of the Local Government Code of 1991 and other existing laws and policies.