Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte announced that the second round of road-clearing operations mandated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will kick off on February 17.

Belmonte on Friday signed Executive Order No. 9, Series of 2020, creating the Quezon City Task Force Road Clearing 2.0, which will be placed under the Office of the Mayor.

“Ipagpapatuloy lang ang nasimulan nating road clearing operations noong nakaraang taon upang matiyak na ito’y tuluy-tuloy at matututukan nang husto (We will just continue the road clearing operations that we started last year to ensure its progression and focus more on this),” Belmonte said.

The order stemmed from DILG’s Memorandum Circular No. 2020-27, mandating the continued implementation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to clear roads of illegal obstructions and ensure efforts to maintain the cleared roads are sustained.

The DILG’s order also tasked all barangay chairmen in charge of the conduct of road clearing operations in barangay roads and minor public-use streets within their jurisdiction.

Barangay heads are also tasked to maintain other local roads turned over by the city government.

With her latest directive, Belmonte urged local residents to cooperate with the city government in its effort to clear roads from different kinds of obstructions.

“Kunan niyo ng larawan o video at ipadala at i-tag ang official Facebook account ng siyudad na fb.com/qcgov (Take a photo or video and send it and tag our official Facebook account fb.com/qcgov),” Belmonte said.

Aside from posting it on the city’s official Facebook page, residents can also report abusive traffic enforcers via Hotline 122.

Under Belmonte’s order, she will head the task force with the chief of staff and assistant city administrator for operations as vice chairpersons.

The point person will be the head of the Barangay and Community Relations Department.

The task force is tasked to monitor the implementation of the directive at the barangay level and craft strategies to ensure the compliance and cooperation of barangay chairmen.

“It will also extend necessary support and exact accountability and impose sanctions against non-supportive or non-compliant local officials and employees.” Belmonte said. (PNA)

Photo Credit: facebook.com/MayorJoyBelmonte