THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 has deferred its December 2019 assessment of local government units’ (LGUs) performance on road-clearing operations.
This, as the agency’s central office is still evaluating the explanation sent by some LGUs in Central Visayas that failed to comply with its memorandum on clearing roads from obstructions.
DILG 7 information officer Michael Braga said they expect to get a copy of the Central Visayas LGUs’ performance evaluation sometime in January 2020.
He said the quarterly monitoring would push through next year.
Pending the DILG central office’s resolution on non-compliant LGUs, Braga said the DILG 7 field officers have been working with municipal and city governments to improve their performance for the next assessment.
Non-compliant LGUs
Seven LGUs in Cebu Province—the city of Carcar and the municipalities of Badian, Carmen, Compostela, Ginatilan, Moalboal and Pinamungajan—failed to comply with Memorandum Circular 2019-12, which was issued by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año instructing LGUs to “reclaim public roads which are being used for private ends” last July 29.
Other LGUs in Central Visayas that also failed include the towns of Antequera, Garcia Hernandez, Talibon and Valencia in Bohol, and Larena in Siquijor.
The memorandum was issued following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to free public roads from obstructions during his fourth State of the Nation Address last July 22.
The DILG central office released its first assessment last October.
DILG 7 Director Leocadio Trovela, in an earlier interview, announced that they would conduct another validation in December.
Five days to explain
The mayors of the non-compliant LGUs were given five days to explain after receiving their respective show-cause orders.
Trovela, however, clarified that the mayors whose explanation fails to satisfy the DILG central office or the Office of President would not be charged in court yet.
In Metro Cebu, Lapu-Lapu City and Minglanilla town got a “low compliance” rating, which means the two LGUs gained scores of between 71 and 80 percent.
The cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay received scores of between 81 and 90 percent, hitting the “medium compliance” rating.
While Naga City gained a “high compliance” rating, as it got a score of between 91 and 100 percent.
Not a one-off activity
As the road-clearing operation is not a one-and-done activity, Braga said the LGUs with low and medium compliance ratings must take steps to “further improve and sustain their efforts.”
Aside from conducting actual road-clearing activities, Braga said the LGU should also enact or revisit ordinances related to clearing of public roads from illegal structures.
The DILG, said Braga, instituted a 100-point system in rating an LGU’s performance: road-clearing operation, 50 points; banning illegal structures that obstruct public roads, 15 points; inventory of public roads, five points; displacement plans and strategies, 10 points; grievance mechanism, five points; and rehabilitation of recovered public roads, 15 points.
Braga further said the DILG 7 is monitoring the LGUs’ efforts through its field offices. The agency is also providing technical assistance to LGUs on the formulation of strategies to improve their performance.
The DILG 7 has no data on roadside vendors affected by the road-clearing operations.
Aside from enforcing road-clearing operations, Braga said the DILG 7 is planning to continue its efforts in peace and order, good governance and anti-insurgency campaigns in 2020. (WBS)