THE City Government of Davao carried out a road-clearing operation on February 16, 2023, at Barangay 31-D to ensure emergency road accessibility.
Paul Bermejo, head of the Ancillary Services Unit (ASU), stated in a dxGM Super Radyo Davao interview that the operation, the third in a series, aims to prevent obstacles for emergency responders, especially during disasters like fires in densely populated areas.
ASU previously had road-clearing activities in Punta Dumalag and San Pedro Street in Barangay 76-A.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte directed joint clearing operations to address the difficulty faced by emergency services in navigating congested roads during crises.
“Nakita man gyud ni Mayor nga disasters labi na ug sunog in densely populated areas ug mag responde ang atoang mga kabomberohan ug ang atoang 911 masango man sila didtoa sa kalsada, nahimo naman hinuon ug disgrasya so nagmando mayor sa amoa nga mag conduct ug joint clearing operations (The Mayor has seen disasters especially fires in densely populated areas and our fire brigades and our 911 will respond as if they were on the road, but it turned out to be a disaster so the mayor ordered us to conduct joint clearing operations)," he said.
ASU collaborated with the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), City Engineer's Office (CEO), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO), Davao City Police Office (DCPO), and barangay officials for this initiative.
Bermejo highlighted the misuse of roads for storage, garbage dumping, and parking, hindering emergency access, underscoring the importance of clear roads, especially during fire incidents, to enable swift response.
Following the operation, responsibility for road maintenance will be transferred to the barangay, as per the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2022-085 issued on June 20, 2022.
The circular officially designates minor roads, streets, and alleys to the barangay for road clearing in the new normal.
The upcoming road-clearing focus is in Ubalde going north, identified as an area with impassable barangay and city roads despite recent widening efforts.
Bermejo urged residents not to return items cleared, as the ASU would promptly remove them. RGP