CANDELARIA, Zambales — Local government units (LGUs) and offices of national agencies in Zambales are mobilizing inspection teams to ensure compliance with directives from the national government to clear roads of incumbrances as stipulated in DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2020-145.

The circular gave LGUs from November 16, 2020 until January 15, 2021 to conform with the order.

In Candelaria, the town’s road-clearing inspection team composed of representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Municipal Engineering Office (MEO) and Municipal Traffic Management Group (MTMG) conducted inspection along the municipality’s main thoroughfares, public market and talipapa joints in Barangays Poblacion and Catol on January 14.

Prior to the end of the 60-day period, Mayor Napoleon E. Edquid ordered the inspection and road clearing in said areas, prompting the 16 component barangays to implement the road-clearing order.

Punong Barangays led and supervised their Barangay Inspection Teams (BITs) to ensure successful implementation of the policy down to the barangay roads and report their actions taken to the DILG.  

In San Antonio, the LGU also spearheaded ‘internal validation’ of local compliance to the directive.

On January 13 and 14, the Municipal Road Clearing Task Force comprised of members from the DILG, PNP, BFP, Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) and Municipal Planning and Development Office visited the municipality’s 14 to see the outcome of road-clearing efforts that started in November last year.

The said initiative was in line with Mayor Preciliano M. Ruiz’s instruction for the immediate validation to ensure barangay compliance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2020-145.

In Masinloc, similar efforts were made under the directive of Mayor Arsenia J. Lim.

On January 21, the Sangguniang Bayan and the Municipal Road Clearing Task Force met with officials of barangays and local tricycle operators and drivers’ groups to reiterate the importance of their cooperation in road-clearing efforts.

SB members Philip Aaron Eamilao, Norman Acierto, Arnel Aquino, Philip Cesar Eamilao and John Benedict Edora were present in the dialogue, along with Municipal Engineer and Road Clearing Focal Person Ellender Eclevia, PNP Deputy Chief of Operations PLt. Jessu M. Rendon, and Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Cindy C. Cagalitan.

Internal validation of the weekly reports submitted by barangays was also conducted by the municipal task force on January 15 and 18.

In Castillejos town, the local road clearing operations (RCO) validation team composed of representatives from the Municipal Engineering Office (MEO), Mayor’s Office, PNP, BFP and DILG checked compliance in the municipality’s 14 barangays on January 22.

The team visited all roads listed in the inventory, validated barangay accomplishments based on submitted reports, provided feedback on the findings, and recommended measures that would sustain compliance. The team also assessed the implementation of the municipal ordinances in relation to road clearing.

The activity aimed to prepare the LGU in the upcoming validation of its compliance with DILG Memoranda No. 2020-145, which provided for continuation of road clearing, and 2020-036, which prohibited tricycles, pedicabs and other motorized pedicabs from operating on national highways. — By Sheryl Ann Q. Dungca, Milaflor A. Torcadilla, Cindy C. Cagalitan, and Jonnel B. Edillor/ DILG