• THERESA MAE DULMAN
City Legal Office (CLO) head, Atty. Karol Joseph Chiu, instructed members of the enforcement team Sept. 8, to remain firm yet polite when conducting field operations and interacting with the public.
The directive follows a heated confrontation Monday between enforcement personnel and a senior citizen along South Capitol Road in Bacolod City.
Chiu said the team had initially conducted clearing operations for illegal structures and obstructions along 4th Lacson Street before passing through South Capitol Road, where street vending is strictly prohibited under the city’s vending ordinance.
Chiu took note of the public’s complaints regarding the incident and reaffirmed the office’s commitment to self-improvement while maintaining public order.
“We will be better the next time around because we constantly receive complaints. It is a continuous process and a balancing act,” Chiu said, noting that while the team strives to enforce city rules, government workers must maintain patience and respect even when encountering hostile reactions.
Chiu highlighted the complex situations that enforcers face in the field, where responses can range from contrariness to verbal aggression.
“We make them understand why they are being removed—because it is not allowed, nor can we simply turn a blind eye to obstructions. We cannot just allow a ‘wild, wild west’ situation in Bacolod,” he stressed.
“But, of course, we are also finding ways to assist them and prevent them from facing legal charges,” Chiu said, adding the city aims to secure cooperation rather than arrest vendors or confiscate their goods.
The enforcement team had issued multiple warnings to five street vendors in the area, who had gone so far as to erect makeshift shacks and set up cooking equipment on site.
“We are trying to instill regulation on the streets; that is what we are striving to do. We do not exceed what is provided for in the ordinance, nor do we exceed what is provided for in the law. Our role is simply to implement regulations,” Chiu said. | TMD
