The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday commended local government units in the region for responding to their directive on clearing the roads of obstructions.
During the AFP-PNP press briefing held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Alex Roldan, regional director of the DILG XI, said that last Jan. 10, they required local government units to submit a report of their accomplishments.
“I am glad that all municipalities in the region are already at 75 to 100 percent road clearing,” he said, adding that they issued a moratorium of earthquake-affected towns until the victims can recover.
“What we are also looking is that if they have already ordinances for the utilization of the sidewalk, second if they have the plan for the dislocation for those affected, and third we want to see if its clear already,” he said.
Another validation will be conducted within this month or in February.
However, he said that the LGUs are already aware of their responsibilities and started to enforce the law. He cited as an example where some local officials were afraid of clearing the sidewalks for fear of losing their political capital.
“That is always the fear but the President always understood that,” he said.
