ILOILO City – The financial assistance for sidewalk vendors displaced by road-clearing operations is yet to be released.
According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is still making verifications.
It wants to make sure those listed as beneficiaries of the assistance are indeed qualified.
“Nabatian ko bisitahan nila asta sa mga barangays ang mga vendors para lang nga maseguro,” said Treñas.
It has been almost a month since vendors were removed from sidewalks.
They were assured by the city mayor of each receiving P5,000 financial assistance.
The clearing of sidewalks and roads was ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to reclaim public roads being used for private ends.
In this city, the operation has dislocated an estimated 1,500 vendors.
The Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) validating team gave the city government a rating of 83 percent in road clearing operations.
Treñas agreed there are still public roads and sidewalks in barangays yet to be cleared. He said he won’t be disbanding the team tasked to do the clearing.
“Sige-sigehon ta ini kay it has done so much good to the city, especially to the public nga nagalakat-lakat sa Calle Real,” said Treñas.
In September, Treñas appealed for the cooperation most especially of sidewalk vendors.
“This road and sidewalk clearing is happening all over the country as a result of President (Rodrigo) Duterte’s directive. We cannot do otherwise but follow,” he stressed./PN
