MANILA, Philippines – The 60-day period given to local chief executives for the removal of street obstructions starts this Monday, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said.
Año revealed that this comes with the official release of a department order mandating mayors to conduct clearing operations.
“Today we issued a memorandum circular clearing local roads of obstructions. Binibigyan natin ang local government units ng 60 days mula sa ngayon para isakatuparan ang pagbabalik ng kalsada sa mga tao,” he said Monday during a press conference after meeting Metro Manila mayors at the DILG office in Quezon City.
After 60 days, non-complying mayors would be slapped with a two-month preventive suspension while an investigation is underway, Año said.
“We understand that there are cities that are really very big, for example ang Quezon City, napakalaki. So para may uniform implementation time […] I think that is enough time to implement it (memorandum circular),” he explained.
“Ang preventive suspension ay dalawang buwan habang umaandar yong imbestigasyon. With the result of the imbestigasyon, ‘don lalabas kung one month or one year or two years,” he added.
The memorandum circular came after President Rodrigo Duterte himself asked DILG during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) last July 22 to suspend mayors who refuse to clear roads.
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READ: Duterte orders Año: Suspend mayors, governors refusing to clear public roads
The meeting was attended by various mayors, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Danilo Lim and General Manager Jojo Garcia, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, and other city officials.
Año meanwhile praised the local executives who were present during the meeting for their commitment to the President’s program.
“With this endeavor, I am elated with the presence of our Metro Manila mayors, I am happy with your solidarity and commitment to solve this problem. Rest assured we at the department are here to help you,” he added. /je