MMDA Starts Clearing Ops for Metro Manila Roads

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) vowed to conduct regular clearing operations within the 17 Metro Manila local government units.

MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim made the sweeping statement after his visit to Baclaran together with the mayors of Parañaque and Pasay to oversee clearing operations in the area.

Lim said that all roads will be free from obstructions within the time frame given by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

"There would be no let-up in our operations as the DILG gave us orders to reclaim the roads for 60 days. We will ensure that these will be done daily to fast track clearing of all roads," he said.

Mayors Edwin Olivarez of Parañaque and Imelda Calixto-Rubiano of Pasay both committed support to the MMDA on its bid to make all roads obstruction-free while looking for ways to relocate the vendors.

"We want a sustainable solution to this that's why we are having coordination with different vendor associations to help them search for a permanent selling place," Olivarez said.

Calixto-Rubiano is also meeting with the vendors association and some private establishments for the transfer of the vendors.

"I also proposed to our city council to craft an ordinance for a night market," she said.

For his part, MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia stressed the importance of clearing roads from all kinds of obstructions.

"These roads were being used for profit for a long time and it's about time we reclaim it for the common good. Sidewalks are for pedestrians while public roads are for motorists," he stressed.

Truckloads of different items were also confiscated during today’s clean-up.

Owners of business establishments were also warned and asked to dismantle fixtures encroaching the sidewalks.

Lim together with the Metro mayors met with DILG Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday and discussed their plans to comply with the President' Rodrigo Duterte's directive to recover all roads from illegal vendors and illegally parked vehicles.