MCEU: We can’t ensure obstruction-free roads during DILG evaluation

Members of the Mandaue City Enforcement Unit (MCEU) clear obstructions of the sidewalk during one of their clearing operations in the city. | Photo courtesy of MCEU

MANDUE CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City Enforcement Unit (MCEU) cannot ensure that the barangay and city roads will be free of obstructions in the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) upcoming evaluation this January 25 to February 5, 2021.

The DILG has extended the deadline of the road clearing operation 2.0 until January 22.

Read: DILG extends road clearing deadline to Jan. 22

Ernesto Bongo, MCEU operations head, said they had already cleared most of the obstructions in the barangay roads.

However, Bongo said they could not ensure that the roads would be free of obstructions in the DILG’s upcoming evaluation.

“Nalimpyo naman gyud nato. Ang ato ang pagmaintain nalang gyud. Dili man gyud 100 percent nga malimpyo nato kay aduna may come and go nga obtructions labi na ning parkings, motor, sakyanan ug pipila ka ambulant vendors – maningkamot pod manginabuhi,” said Bongo.

(We had cleared most of the obstructions. Our job now is to maintain that there would be no more obstructions. We cannot clear the roads 100 percent because there are obstructions that would come and go like the parkings, motorcycles, vehicles and some ambulant vendors – who are trying to make a living.)

Nevertheless, Bongo assured they would try their best to make sure that the roads would remain obstruction-free.

“Paningkamutan gayud nato ma mentenar nga hapsay ug limpyo para ang ato’ng mga kaigsuunan nga manggamit sa sidewalk luwas ug safety sa ila’ng paglakaw,” he said.

(We will do our best to maintain that the roads are clear of obstrutions so that our brothers using the sidewalk are safe while walking there.)

Bongo said they were now focusing on the national roads.

Read: MCEU resumes road clearing operations

Meanwhile, Bongo said the implementation of Executive Order No . 01 series of 2021 of Mayor Jonas Cortes, which involves the removal of the barricades in certain streets in the city and the extension of market schedules, was orderly.

Last Friday, January 15, 2021, the  barricades that were formerly installed along P. Gomez St, Zamora St, and Ceniza St., or those surrounding the city’s public market have been removed and the Market schedule was also extended to four days a week from only two days and a half in the old schedule.

“Sa ato’ng na obserbaran gikan ato’ng pagremove gyud hangtud karun kaluoy sa Ginoo controlado ra. Hapsay man dili gyud kaayo crowded, nagpasalamat sad nga ato’ng kaigsuunang Mandauehanon, na kuan na gyud nila ang disiplina sa health protocols,” he added.

(We observed since we removed the barricades until now, Thank God, we are still in control of the crowd. They are orderly and we thank our brother Mandauehanons that they are disciplined in following the health protocols.)/dbs