MANILA – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered barangay officials a 75-day ultimatum to clear their respective barangays from road obstructions.
Interior Undersecretary Martin Dino said in an interview with DZBB on Monday afternoon that the barangay officials who will not be able to clear their jurisdictions, including tertiary roads, could face preventive suspension.
“‘Yung mga barangay official na pabaya sa kanilang nasasakupan ay posibleng mapatawan ng preventive suspension,” Dino said. “Hangga’t walang nasususpinde at walang natatanggal, hindi tayo magtatagumpay sa ating kampanya.”
Dino said that some barangay officials, particularly in Manila City, were not able to clear their roads from obstructions the first time the DILG has issued the same ultimatum a year ago.
“Nakapagpaliwanag na po sa amin ang ilang barangay chairman sa Maynila na bigong malinis ang mga kalsadang kanilang nasasakupan sa sagabal pero hindi kami satisfied,” Dino said.
“Binigyan sila ng obligasyon para i-maintain ang inyong mga kalsada at kung kulang sila sa kagamitan pwede sila magkaroon ng proper coordination sa kanilang alkalde,” he added.
On July 29, 2019, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2019-121 directing all governors, mayors, and “punong barangays’’ to exercise their powers essential to reclaim public roads, rid them of illegal structures and constructions, rehabilitate them by placing street names and street lights, and carry out strategies to address possible displacement issues.”
The DILG came up with the memorandum last year after President Rodrigo Duterte said during his State of the Nation Address to clear the major roads from public obstructions./PN
