Barangay execs liable for failure to clear roads

STARTING this year, barangay officials will also be held accountable for failing to comply with the National Government's order to clear roads of any illegal obstruction, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

DILG-Davao Director Alex Roldan said on Thursday, January 9, the central office is set to issue guidelines for the implementation of road clearing operations for barangays, which will run for 75 days.

Roldan said barangay officials will face administrative charges once proven that they ignore the National Government's road clearing order.

DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2019-121 in 2019, a formal directive to local government units (LGUs) to clear roads and sidewalks from obstruction within 60 days. The order was issued to all chief executives in cities and towns nationwide.

The directive came after President Rodrigo Duterte asked local officials to reclaim public spaces during his State of the Nation Address.

"Sa pagkakaron, mga mayors pa lang ang ginapaningil. Pero in the future, maapil na ang mga barangay sa pag-comply (For now, we are only mandating the mayors. But in the future, barangay officials will also need to comply)," Roldan said.

In an earlier interview, he said the DILG had urged mayors to impose their authority and hold barangay captains accountable for road obstruction.

He said mayors are expected to take the lead and ensure that barangay captains within their jurisdiction are cooperating and compliant.

The DILG has filed administrative charges against 10 mayors for failing to comply with Duterte's directive.

Charged with gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct before the Office of the Ombudsman were the mayors of Baco, Oriental Mindoro; Pili, Camarines Sur; Ginatilan, Cebu; Pagsanghan, Samar; Aurora and Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur; Sagay and Guinsiliban, Camuigin; Manticao, Misamis Oriental; and Caraga, Davao Oriental.

Roldan, however, said more local chief executives will be charged as evaluations are still ongoing.

Overall, he said Davao Region scored a "passing" rate, getting an average of around 85 and 90 percent.

"Compliant man ang Davao Region. Compliant man ang kadaghanan (Davao Region is compliant. Most mayors are compliant with the order)," Roldan said.

He said some local government units (LGUs) in Davao del Sur were given exemption after he sent a request to the National Government to exempt areas that were affected by the series of magnitude 6 earthquake.

In the case of Davao City, the official said the National Government had some questions during their evaluation.

But overall, the city was given a passing rate after it pledged to act on other matters relating to the order.

Roldan said the DILG will conduct a second phase of evaluation on the compliance. The criteria involve the post-clearing operation plans, enacted ordinances or resolutions in addressing the situation, and contingency measures to affected stakeholders as the basis of the LGUs' consistency in following the mandate.

"Tan-awon nato sa next validation on how far they have gone in responding to the commitment na gihimo sa initial evaluation (In the next validation report, we will look into how far they have gone in responding to the commitment they have made in the initial evaluation)," Roldan said.