ROAD-CLEARING. Traffic enforcers resume road clearing operations along Gen. Segundo St. in Laoag City on Tuesday (Jan. 7, 2020). In the photo, a stall owner just across the Museo Iloco is ordered to clear the street of his merchandise. (Photo courtesy of PNP Traffic Division)
LAOAG CITY -- Traffic enforcers here have started to clear out major thoroughfares again after the holidays as they towed away illegally parked vehicles to ensure smooth traffic.
On Tuesday morning, personnel from the Philippine National Police Traffic Division were spotted along General Luna Street and they started issuing citation tickets to traffic violators.
Aside from removing illegally-parked vehicles, some potted plants obstructing street corners including temporary and permanent structures such as shanties, stores, shops, stalls, sheds, canopies, billboards, signage, advertisements, fences, walls, railings, basketball courts, barangay halls, and garbage receptacles were also removed.
During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to lead in the road clearing operations and suspend non-compliant local chief executives.
The DILG then released Memorandum Circular 2019-121 directing local leaders to use all their powers under the law to reclaim public roads being used for private ends.
Following the nationwide evaluation and monitoring of the DILG, several LGUs nationwide were already filed with administrative charges over their failure to comply with the directive to clear roads of illegal obstructions.
City Mayor Michael Keon said: “We must follow the President’s order. We have lost so many businesses already in the city because of the intensified road clearing and we have no other choice”. (PNA)
