DILG: Dagupan City, only 84 percent road-cleared

By November 11, 2019Headlines, News

CORRECTION: NOT 95%

ROAD clearing, that started July 29, did not end after a 90-day period on September 29 because it is a continuing activity of all Local Government Units (LGUs) throughout the country.

This was underscored by Marlyn Laguipo, city director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), as she revealed that in the road clearing operation, Dagupan got 84 percent and not 95 percent, which was earlier reported.

She told the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on Nov. 5 that the 95 percent rating obtained by Dagupan was on other aspects of compliance of LGU Dagupan, like the presence of an enacted ordinance that could prevent any more road obstruction; the presence of a grievance mechanism wherein  those affected could air their concerns, and the like.

“But in road clearing criteria, the city only got 84 percent, meaning the city needs to perform 16 percent more to make it 100% compliance,” Laguipo clarified.

“Our 95 percent rating (on other aspects) is of course very high. That has to be sustained,” Laguipo said. “We can’t afford to make it lower than 95%,” she added.

Laguipo was asked if the clearing of a back street in front of the Dagupan Fish Market by the city government a part of the clearing operations as directed nationwide by President Rodrigo Duterte.

She said the memorandum circular of DILG initially covered only primary and secondary roads but added that later on it also covered other roads.

Laguipo said the road clearing operations ordered by President Duterte did not end after the 90-day period, adding the second round of validation is scheduled in December this year.

The first round of validation was conducted by an inter-agency task force with the DILG officer of San Carlos City cross-posted to do the work to prevent biases. The members of the task force included a civil society organization, Bureau of Fire Protection and the PNP.    

She pointed out that the same process will be adopted in the second round validation.

She said she is now doing random checking in all the 31 barangays of the city to find out which of them still have obstructions to remove.

“I will have to make a report to help clarify because there are still road obstructions and therefore not 100 percent as reported,” Laguipo stressed.

Still set to be cleared by the city government among others is the Dagupan Fish Market Road where trucks deliver stocks of fish for sale and some 76 fish retailers sell.

The vendors complained that the clearing operation in the area is being done to provide a parking area for cargo trucks after delivering their cargo at the consignacion market, and they believe it defeats the purpose of road-clearing ordered by President Duterte.  (Leonardo Micua)

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