The Bacolod City government is taking action to restore order and safety to the city’s primary roads.
The City Legal Office Striker Team conducted a peaceful notice-issuance operation in Barangays 1 and 2 on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to address recurring illegal structures and obstructions encroaching on public roads and sidewalks.
The operation was led by retired PCol. Levy Pangue, together with CLO lawyers Clarence Raymund Giles D. Isulat and Bartolome G. Malde Jr., a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office (BCCO) said Wednesday.
The team worked in close coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and was supported by personnel from the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) to ensure a smooth and orderly process.
The BCCO said 20 residents, 15 from Barangay 2 and 5 from Barangay 1, were issued formal notices.
These residents are situated in illegal structures and shanties that obstruct the DPWH road widening projects, gutter areas, and sidewalks, the BCCO said.
Records show that these areas had been previously cleared by the DPWH with the voluntary cooperation of the residents. However, illegal structures were recently reconstructed in the same high-risk locations, it added.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that our public spaces, especially our sidewalks and road-widening areas, are utilized for their intended purpose,” the City Legal Office stated.
The safety of both pedestrians and motorists is the top priority of the city, and the administration is handling these matters with strict adherence to the law and due process, the BCCO said.
In accordance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2024-053, the issued notices provide the affected residents a ten day period to voluntarily remove their structures.
The City Legal Office reported that the activity was conducted without any untoward incidents or tensions, as residents calmly cooperated with the team and local authorities.
This initiative reflects the current 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, the BCCO said.*
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