LGU's Are Finally Removing Road and Sidewalk Obstructions

All across the nation cities and barangays are tearing down road and sidewalk obstructions. This all started with Mayor Ikso Moreno clearing the roads in Manila. The whole nation was talking about this man with such political will. Inspired by Moreno's actions President Dutere ordered LGU's to clear the roads and sidewalks of obstructions giving them 60 days to get it accomplished.

Looking around the city I live in, Bacolod, I must say I am impressed with the effort. Not that I am impressed what the city is doing. The city should have been keeping the roads and sidewalk cleared of obstructions as it is their job to do so. It is more than pathetic that it took an order from the country's top executive to finally get the law executed. I do not applaud the city and say, "Great job!"  Instead I roll my eyes and say, "It's about time."

What I am impressed with is the number of buildings and vendors who have disappeared. I had no idea that these people, especially at the market, were illegally occupying space. Take a look at one of the markets here in town.

I do not have a proper before picture to show but imagine the space where cars are parked filled with vendors and tricycles. As far as I know they have always been there. But it seems they were never supposed to be there. So why allow them to take up space? Kickbacks? Clearing the market has a downside too.

There used to be a large metal, rectangular garbage container here but now it seems trash will have to be tossed on the street.

Trash is definitely one of the drawbacks of removing road obstacles.  There are parts of town where houses are built right on the side of the road. The property comes right up to the street. But now the owners of these shanties have been forced to tear them down and there is quite a bit of rubble.

There is rubble all over the place with people demolishing the fronts of their buildings to move them back a few feet. I regret that I do not have so many pictures of people tearing down structures. What I do have are pictures of the aftermath of the demolition at the central market.

Each one of those piles of rubble is a little stall that vendors were able to use. According to a man I spoke with they were perfectly legal and even built by the city but they city decided to get rid of them to make the market more spacious. That means unnecessary overkill from the city and still many areas do remain crowded or built too far forward blocking sidewalks.

Here are some pictures of the rubble being cleared.

I asked the man who spoke with me (he asked why I was taking pictures) why he thought they are doing this now and why did it take Duterte to get everyone to move? He said what everyone else has said, "He has balls."

That is not a good answer at all. The fact is that Mayors and councilmen and barangay officials across the nation are scared to enforce the law.  Scared of losing kickbacks and sacred of losing votes. That is just how backwards it is in the Philippines. Politicians are elected so the law will not be enforced. So the city will remain looking like garbage. So business can go on as usual.

When someone does decide enough is enough and starts enforcing the law he is hailed as a wonder, as a hero, as someone with balls. I can't and won't congratulate the country or city for cleaning itself up.  All I can say is it's about time. How about after removing road obstructions they start replacing the leaning electrical poles, get rid of the hanging electrical wires, make sure the traffic lights are on 24/7, start filling in potholes in the roads and crumbling sidewalks, and place stop signs at every intersection? How about making the city not just look good but also safe?

But hold the phone!  Already we have Cebu reversing the work they have done in clearing sidewalk obstructions even asking President Duterte for "compassion and mercy." 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1825735/Cebu/Local-News/Cebu-City-to-allow-return-of-sidewalk-vendors

THE more than 100 vendors who were affected when the Cebu City Government launched its clearing operation can return to vending their wares on sidewalks. 

This was the assurance Mayor Edgardo Labella gave to some 50 vendors at the Plaza Sugbo on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019.  

Just a day earlier, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III had commended Labella for clearing the city’s sidewalks of vendors and urged him to keep them free of obstruction. 

City Administrator Floro Casas Jr., Market Administrator Jonil Matuguina and Raquel Arce, Prevention, Order, Beautification and Enhancement chief, will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 2, to identify areas downtown where the vendors can sell. 

The vendors have complained that they don’t earn enough every day at the Tabo sa Banay, where they have been relocated. 

But upon their return, vendors will have to use smaller tables so they don’t block pedestrians, among others. 

The mayor sought the permission of Sen. Bong Go to let the vendors return to the sidewalks and asked the latter to make President Rodrigo Duterte understand the City’s actions. 

“If I don’t follow the President’s order, I will be suspended. But I told the senator about my principle of political will tempered with compassion and mercy,” Labella said in Cebuano. 

“You should thank Sen. Bong Go. Without his help, you will not be able to return to the sidewalks. The important thing is you don’t block the sidewalks,” Labella told the vendors in Cebuano.

When Duterte is gone will we be seeing even more of this "compassion and mercy" across the country? No doubt!