Clearing notices have been issued Feb. 3 by the City Legal Office (CLO) to 20 residents staying in illegal structures and shanties that obstruct road widening projects, gutters, and sidewalks in Bacolod.
Fifteen of these residents are from Barangay 2 and five from Barangay 1. They received the formal notice from the City Legal Striker Team, who conducted peaceful notice-issuance operations in the two barangays Tuesday to address recurring illegal structures and obstructions encroaching on public roads and sidewalks.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that our public spaces, especially our sidewalks and road-widening areas, are utilized for their intended purpose,” the CLO stressed in a city press release Feb. 4, adding the local government is taking firm action to restore order and safety to the city’s primary roads.
Records show that these areas had been previously cleared by the Department of Public Works and Highways personnel, with the voluntary cooperation of the residents, yet illegal structures were recently reconstructed in the same high-risk locations.
In accordance with DILG Memorandum Circular 2024-053, or the guidelines on the Barangay Road Clearing Operations, the residents with notices have 10 days to voluntarily remove their structures.
The safety of both pedestrians and motorists is the top priority of the city government, and the Gasataya administration is handling these matters with strict adherence to the law and due process, the press release stressed.
This initiative reflects the administration’s ongoing program to maintain urban discipline and support infrastructure development throughout the city, ensuring that Bacolod remains a safe environment for all residents and visitors. ||
