DEMOLITION. Personnel of Bacolod City Legal Enforcement Unit dismantle the illegal structures of vendors outside the Burgos North Market last week. Almost 170 vendors occupying Burgos and Daniel Ramos Streets have been removed and transferred inside the main market. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod City PIO)
BACOLOD CITY -- More than 4,000 illegal structures here have been identified for demolition to clear the city streets.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Tuesday appealed for cooperation from his constituents as the city government adopts a multisectoral approach in clearing roads of these structures and other obstructions.
“This is all about clearing all our streets. A traffic revolution that I hope will lead towards the betterment of Bacolod,” Leonardia said in a press conference.
Figures on Tuesday showed that 3,761 illegal structures such as houses, stores, and commercial establishments have been inventoried in 48 out of 61 villages.
Once the reports of the remaining 13 barangays will be submitted, the number is expected to reach more than 4,000, the mayor said.
So far, a total of 2,614 notices have been distributed while 2,377 have been accepted or received.
Leonardia said many of the owners or occupants have volunteered to dismantle their structures.
Moreover, the city government has also started clearing the vicinity of the three major public markets, and the removal of other road obstructions, including electrical posts and similar facilities of telecommunication and cable television companies.
Almost 170 vendors occupying Burgos and Daniel Ramos Streets have been removed and transferred inside the Burgos North Public Market while 95 fish vendors selling on Ballesteros Street in the downtown area have been moved to the Central Market.
On Tuesday, Leonardia met with Libertad Market vendors at the lobby of the Bacolod Government Center before the clearing of Amelia-Mercedes Streets which they have occupied for many years.
The majority of the 380 vendors are already scheduled to return to their spaces in the Libertad Market Annex.
In the downtown area, more than 400 sidewalk vendors are up next. They are set to be transferred to the Vendors Plaza adjacent to SM City Bacolod at the Reclamation Area.
The clearing of the streets complies with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2019-121 issued by Secretary Eduardo Año.
In his order dated July 29, Año gave mayors 60 days “to exercise their powers essential to reclaim public roads which are being used for private ends, and in the process rid them of illegal structures and constructions.”
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in clearing roads of illegal structures and obstructions, mayors are expected to take the lead and ensure that barangay captains are cooperating and compliant. (PNA)
