The city government of Makati has cleaned up 114 streets in its continuing sidewalk-clearing and road obstruction operations, aimed to maintain its reputation of having “walkable streets” and being an environmentally progressive community in Metro Manila.
The latest operation conducted by the city’s Department of Environmental Services through its Solid Waste Management Division saw 14 individuals apprehended for violating City Ordinance No.
The ordinance prohibits and penalizes the dumping of waste and refuse in any street, public building or property, including waterways and riverbanks, not otherwise designated as a garbage dump.
In a report to Mayor Abigail Binay, DES chief engineer Leopoldo Parumog said SWMD personnel have conducted continuous clearing operations from January to March 10 of this year in 23 barangays.
In District I, DES cleared a total of 72 streets in 12 barangays—Poblacion, with 16 streets cleared; Tejeros, 12; Olympia and Pio Del Pilar, 10 each; Palanan, six; Bangkal, five; Magallanes and San Lorenzo, four each; Bel-Air, two; and San Antonio, San Isidro, and Singkamas, with one street each.
In District II, the team conducted clearing operations in 11 barangays, covering a total of 42 streets during the same period. These were in Guadalupe Nuevo and Guadalupe Viejo with nine streets each; Pinagkaisahan, six; Pitogo, five; West Rembo, four; Cembo, Comembo and Rizal, two each; and East Rembo, Pembo and Northside, one each.
Six individuals were apprehended and fined for littering or illegal dumping of garbage in District I, four from Pio del Pilar and two from Poblacion. In District II, the violators were caught in West Rembo, one; Pembo, three; Pitogo, one; East Rembo, two; and Guadalupe Nuevo, one.
During sidewalk clearing operations, DES enforcers remove objects or property obstructing the streets, such as plants, assorted scrap metal, tires, wood, debris, chairs and tables of eateries occupying sidewalks, food stalls and food carts, among others.
They also give prior notice to identified owners to enable them to properly store or dispose of the obstructions. Should they fail to comply within the given period, DES confiscates the materials.
Under the city’s Solid Waste Management Code, individuals caught dumping waste and littering are fined P1,000 and/or imprisoned for not more than 30 days. The owners of errant establishments are fined P5,000 and/or sent to jail for not less than 30 days.
From July to December 2016, the first six months in office of Mayor Binay, Makati had cleared a total of 271 streets in different barangays.
Late last year, the city government trained all 33 barangays on basic knowledge on governance and design skills in promoting eco-friendly environment.
Dubbed as Green Urban Design and Governance, the training aimed to bring the concepts of green building and sustainable urban governance to the grassroots level.
In August, Makati was chosen by the World Wildlife Fund as one of three cities that are the most environmentally-progressive local government units in the Philippines.
Makati placed 19th in the We Love Cites Campaign organized by the WWF from May 13 to June 26.
The WWF said in a statement: “Makati City in the National Capital Region is developing a center to provide barangay officials with the basic knowledge and design skills to be able to promote urban design projects designed not just to be eco-friendly, but to promote the respective cultural identity of each barangay.”