DILG briefs baragay chiefs of roles in road clearing

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Interior and Local Government yesterday briefed all 80 barangay captains of Cebu City of their roles in clearing all barangay roads of obstructions.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella and all concerned agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways, City Legal Office, Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (PROBE) team, and Cebu City Police Office were also invited to the briefing.

Lawyer Ian Kenneth Lucero, DILG Cebu City Officer-in-Charge, said the meeting was called to ensure that the barangay captains are aware of the consequences if they fail to comply with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Kaning meetinga para lang ma-istoryahan sila tanan, ang roles nila then unsa puy mga concerns nila ba sa pag-implement ini nga mandato gikan sa taas,” Lucero said.

(This meeting was called to inform them of their roles and to hear their concerns in the implementation of the order from the higher-ups)

Lucero explained that Labella and the other agencies were invited so they would also know what assistance the barangays need from them. The DILG has tasked the barangay officials to clear the barangay roads of obstructions.

Earlier, the municipal and city mayors were also ordered to clear all public roads and sidewalks of obstructions. Those who failed in the assessment were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman.

According to Lucero, the barangay captains will go through the same fate if they ignore the road clearing directive. He asked the barangay captains to already start reviewing their ordinances relative to the directive to ensure a smooth implementation of the road clearing operations.

Lucero also asked the barangay captains to start collaborating with the other government agencies and come up with strategies on how to implement the order. He said the DILG will also monitor the compliance of the barangays.

Monitoring teams will be deployed to conduct assessment and to evaluate whether a barangay has passed or failed.

Lucero said all public roads and sidewalks should be returned to the people even at the barangay level.

“Ibalik nato sa mga tao kining mga sidewalk para didto gyud dapat sila moagi, ihatag sa mga pedestrian,” Lucero added. Banat News, FPL (FREEMAN)