DILG wants impartiality in road clearing assessment

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday issued a directive mandating local government units (LGUs) to exercise impartiality when evaluating compliance with road clearing operations as the Feb. 15 deadline is approaching.

In a memorandum, Interior Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. directed DILG regional offices not to assign validation teams (VTs) to their original local government or residence to ensure objective evaluation.

“VTs for component cities and municipalities may be cross-posted within their respective provinces. VTs for provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and Independent Component Cities (ICCs) may be cross-posted within the region,” DILG said in a statement.

Validation teams are composed of personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), said Florece, who is also the officer-in-charge.

The Interior department also asked LGUs to submit their reports, photographs, videos, presentations, and reports documenting their compliance with road obstruction removal.

DILG set the deadline for road clearing operations until Feb. 15. It was extended to allow LGUs to focus on their local vaccine plans. Validation of road compliance will be from Feb. 16 to March 2.

READ: DILG moves road clearing deadline to Feb. 15 to give way for LGU vaccine plans

Meanwhile, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya reminded LGUs to intensify road safety education among its constituents.

“Hindi po dapat nagtatapos ang ating trabaho sa road clearing operations. Sa panahong ang mga kalsada sa buong bansa ay naibalik na sa publiko, responsibilidad din po nating panatiliin itong ligtas,” he said in the same statement.

(We should not limit our jobs in road clearing operations. Even as roads are cleared, our responsibility is also to make it safer.)

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