ABOUT 15 illegal structures or shanties along Bacolod Economic Highway (BEH) in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City were removed during the clearing operations conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the City Legal Office (CLO)-Enforcement team Wednesday, July 3.
District Engineer Abraham Villareal said they earlier asked the assistance of the City Government to demolish the illegal structures, including the tricycle terminal at BEH.
“It’s a joint operation of the DWPH and the City Government to remove the illegal structures in the area,” he said.
Last month, Villareal sent a letter to Mayor Evelio Leonardia requesting the CLO to remove the illegal structures beside the BEH.
Villareal said there was no resistance from the owners of the illegal structures.
The illegal structures were made of light materials.
Villareal said he was informed that unidentified man was offering the space at BEH for rent.
“We will conduct an investigation on these because they are using the area illegally,” he said.
Villareal noted that he will assign his personnel in BEH Phase 1 to ensure that there will be no illegal structures in the area.
The DPWH has started the construction of the three-kilometer portion of the BEH Phase 1 in Barangay Sum-ag worth P300 million in 2017.
This is part of the 21-kilometer economic highway with the total cost of P4.8 billion.
The 21-kilometer BEH will cover areas across Barangays Sum-ag, Cabug, Felisa, Handumanan, Mansilingan, Estefania, Granada, Mandalagan, and Bata.
Villareal said the Sum-ag BEH is already passable for the private vehicle going Barangay Cabug.