ON June 20, 2022, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued Memorandum Circular No. 2022-085. This circular was issued to advise Local Government Units, the Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Fire Prevention “of the resumption of the implementation of the road clearing in the new normal, and to harmonize existing guidelines on the same” “in view of the return to normal economic activity brought about by the decline in the number of Covid-19 cases and the de-escalation of Alert Levels in various parts of the country.”
For Cagayan de Oro City, the group that was tasked to implement the DILG circular under the previous administration of the City was regrouped, reconstituted, or reorganized through Executive Order No. 024-2023 which Mayor Klarex Uy issued on January 30, 2023.
The Task Group Demolition started to roll its sleeves and buckle down to work by creating at least two implementing arms, namely, the Action Team for Movable Obstructions, and the Action for Immovable Obstructions. The Task Group would also be performing functions that may be assigned by the City Mayor from time to time.
Movable obstructions will continue to be taken care of by the Roads and Traffic Administrations, while immovable obstructions will be under the sight of the Office of the Building Official. The existence of the Task Group Demolition will not in any way hinder the regular road-clearing activities of the RTA and the OBO which will be assisted by other departments of the City Government.
Since the DILG circular also requires barangays to conduct regular road clearing operations in all barangay roads, e.g., enforcement of applicable Traffic Code provisions, the Task Group will vigorously coordinate with the Liga ng Mga Barangay to ensure that barangays will be effective in their tasks under the circular.
In its initial meeting, the Task Group resolved to seriously address the existence of permanent structures in prohibited areas that were also erected or constructed without building permits thus, rendering them illegal. After the required notices have been served or will be served in the case of some other illegal structures, the Immovable Action Team led by the OBO will start to dismantle such illegal structures should their owners refuse to do so. Costs will be to the account of the owners in such cases.
May this, therefore, serve as a fair warning to owners of illegal structures on roads and other public places.
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