Aggressive road clearing operations to be undertaken

January 22, 2020 Community Billboard

BAGUIO CITY January 14 – The city government will embark on an aggressive road clearing operations along major roads in the city to ensure its compliance to the marching orders of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for local officials to bring back roads taken over by private individuals to the public and to comply with the standing order for the convenience of the public.

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said that in the case of Marcos highway, the road clearing operation will be concentrated on the left side of the road leading to the city proper while competing the clearing works on the right side of the said road.

He urged owners of structures encroaching on the road-right-of-way to voluntarily dismantling their structures or else the city demolition team will remove these once the deadline has lapsed in issued notices of violation against them.

On the other hand, the city chief executive claimed for encroachments along Naguilian road, the demolitions will be done on February 5 and 6, 2020 as owners of these structures were already issued three notices of violation that should make them start voluntarily removing their encroachments and not to await for the city demolition team to do their job.

Further, he also called on owners of structures encroaching on the 3-meter easement of waterways in the different parts of the city to remove these improvements they have introduced as the same will be demolished pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations to prevent the constriction of the said waterways that compromises the safety of people living in the said areas.

According to him, the aggressive road clearing operations is a major activity of the city government pursuant to the marching orders of the national government to recover portions of public roads and sidewalks appropriated by private individuals and bring these back to the public for the convenience of both pedestrians and motorists who often suffer from constricted roads and sidewalks because of such encroachments.

Under existing laws, rules and regulations, concerned government agencies and the local government must provide owners of structures that encroached on road-right-of-way or easements a maximum of 3 notices with a grace period of 7 days each for them to voluntarily remove the improvements they have introduced or else the city demolition team will dismantle such encroachments.

Aside from the nearly 300 structures identified to have encroached on the road-right-of- way of Marcos highway, there are also 600 structures pinpointed to have encroached on the road-right-of-way of Naguilian road apart from the others that have erected improvements on other major roads in the city wherein the same will be subjected to demolition once they refuse to voluntarily dismantle such improvements.

Dexter A. See/ABN