FOR several decades, people treated sidewalks and other open public spaces as part of their property and business concerns.
Pedestrians had to walk on the street risking their lives and limbs and LGUs were then unmindful and indifferent of their plight.
Not anymore. With the marching orders of President Rodrigo Duterte, the National Government agencies and local governments looked into this aberration and forthwith issued ordinances and executive orders to correct the oversight.
Now, stalls and similar obstructive structures were dismantled to give way to pedestrians and widen the road spaces for motorists and commuters alike.
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In Mabalacat City, the City Government, headed by Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo, issued Executive Order 015, series of July 31, 2019, titled An Order Creating the Mabalacat City Task Force on Anti-Road Obstruction (ARO) and Wire Clearing.
The task force is composed of City Mayor Garbo, chairperson; Engr., Rodrigo D. de Leon, vice chairperson; together with Engr. Jesusa M. Santiago, Cenro; Dionisio S. Magbalot Jr., GSO; Rolando Santos, MCTEG; and members Gemma Maria Rivera-Mendoza of BPLU, Roberto Tabacon of MCG-PSO, all punong barangays, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Corpuz, chief of police.
The functions of the Task Force ARO with the mantra: Keep the roads clean and open, keep vehicles and people moving are: a) remove road obstruction and clear all streets of illegal structures; b) remove spaghetti wire connections; c) coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways on national roads that need improvement and repairs; d) coordinate with punong barangays on ways to improve road decongestion; e)coordinate with public utilities involved in electricity, communication and internet providers to correct spaghetti wire connections; f)conduct inventory and monitor all roads being maintained by the barangay, city, province and national government; g) institute remedial measures to remedy road congestion and h) other functions as may be determined by the city mayor.
The Task Force ARO is the lead agency to pursue Mayor Garbo's campaign for Kalinisan, Kaayusan and Seguridad.
Additionally, the same EO mandates the removal of garbage, refuse, rubbish and live electric spaghetti wires, misplaced signages, handbills, graffiti and tattered tarpaulins.
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Sloppy road widening work. At the Mabalacat bridge spanning Barangays Tabun and Dolores, the dubious engineers, contractors and workers did not use common sense and practicality before paving the widened road as it runs into concrete electric posts in the middle of the pavement. How would motorists use the paved road and navigate freely with electric posts right smack in the middle of the pavement? Aah, such sloppy work indeed!