Amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday released localized guidelines for road clearing operations.
In her memorandum, Belmonte ordered the Task Force Road Clearing 2.0, which she formed way back in February, to conduct the second part of road clearing operations to ensure compliance with the Department of Interior and Local Government’s directive.
“While we see the importance of keeping our roads cleared of any obstruction, we must also adjust our operation in the light of the ongoing pandemic,” she said in her memorandum.
“We always anchor the conduct of our road clearing operations on our compliance with the minimum health protocols to avoid the spread of COVID-19,” Belmonte added.
She urged the residents to cooperate with the city government’s effort to clear road obstructions.
The mayor advised the citizens to report abusive enforcers through the city government’s official Facebook account (fb.com/qcgov) and via hotline 122.
DILG’s Memorandum Circular No. 2020-145 mandated that the road clearing operations on national and secondary roads and Mabuhay lanes will be conducted starting Nov. 16 until Jan. 15, 2021.
The city’s task force shall coordinate with concerned national government agencies having jurisdiction, projects or other responsibilities over national and secondary roads and Mabuhay lanes within the city’s jurisdiction.
It is also mandated to coordinate with barangays to ensure that national and secondary roads and Mabuhay lanes assigned to their responsibility are being maintained properly.
Apart from portions of national and secondary roads and Mabuhay lanes turned over to them, barangays will be in charge of conducting road clearing operations in barangay roads and minor public-use streets within their jurisdiction.
According to Assistant City Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo, removing obstructions along the new and existing bike lanes will be given special focus by the task force with help from the Task Force on Transport and Traffic Management and Green Transport Division of the Department of Public Order and Safety and the concerned villages.
“We must ensure that all bike lanes are obstruction-free to fulfill our intention of providing bikers a safe and smooth passage to their destination,” he said.
While the national government’s circular categorizes vending sites as road obstructions, he said the local government has decided to give organizers of vending sites and vendors some leeway in consideration of the effects of the pandemic on the local economy and the need for social distancing.
“Vendors must likewise register with Market Development and Administration Department. Without authorization from MDAD, a vending site will be considered illegal and would be included in the clearing operations,” he noted.
