Mayor Abby Binay earlier called on barangay officials to support and cooperate with the said agency on the task of eliminating all kinds of obstruction from the streets. She also reminded them of their duty to ensure that cleared sidewalks and streets are regularly maintained.
“As government officials, we must all make a conscious effort to promote walkable streets for the safety of our residents and the general public. Sidewalk vendors and street vendors, for instance, should not be allowed to proliferate in our city,” she said.
The mayor said pedestrians are unnecessarily endangered when they are forced to walk on the road in areas where sidewalks are blocked or non-existent. She said motorists and the riding public also suffer because pedestrians and vendors impede the flow of traffic.
In his report to the mayor, DES head Engr. Leopoldo Parumog said that their Sidewalk Recovery Operations for the whole month of August covered eight barangays in District I, and three barangays in District II.
They were able to clear 18 streets located in Barangays Tejeros, Pio Del Pilar, Olympia, Palanan, Bangkal, Kasilawan, Valenzuela, and Poblacion of the first district. In District II, they carried out clearing operations in seven streets located in Barangays Rizal, South Cembo, and Pitogo. The said office has also done regular monitoring of streets in the city to immediately pinpoint areas that need to be cleared. It has also responded to requests from some barangays to remove obstructions in certain streets.
Owners are given two to three weeks to remove properties identified as street obstructions. After the grace period, the unclaimed objects are confiscated and a violation ticket is issued to the owner. Meanwhile, for the entire month of July, sidewalk recovery operations were performed in seven barangays in District I and three barangays in District II. For District I, these were carried out in 33 streets in Barangays Tejeros, La Paz, Olympia, Poblacion, Bangkal, Singkamas, and Valenzuela. For District II, DES held clearing operations in 20 streets in Barangays Cembo, West Rembo, and Pitogo.
Among the things removed or confiscated were scrap materials, metal basketball stands, metal bars of tents, tires, woods, and debris. In July, some items in a sari-sari store located at Hippodromo cor. A.P Reyes, Brgy. Olympia were seized after being identified as a sidewalk obstruction and eyesore.
The DES sidewalk recovery operations are being carried out in coordination with the Makati Public Safety Department (MAPSA), Makati Police, and barangay personnel. They conduct an ocular inspection first, then notify owners of properties or belongings identified as a street obstruction to remove these. Actual clearing and confiscation of materials are done after the given grace period has lapsed.
City Ordinance No. 2003-095 or the “Solid Waste Management Code of the City of Makati” penalizes the dumping and littering of waste, refuse, and the like, in any street, public building or property, including waterways, river banks not otherwise designated as garbage dumping place.
An individual violator shall be fined P1,000 and face imprisonment of not less than five days but not more than 30 days, or both penalties depending upon the discretion of the court.
The owner of an errant corporation or establishment shall be fined P5,000 or face imprisonment of not less than 30 days but not more than one year, or incur both penalties depending upon the discretion of the court.
Aside from sidewalk clearing operations, DES also deploys personnel for the implementation of the said city ordinance. It also strictly implements and monitors the compliance of establishments in the city to the Plastic Regulation Order under Executive Order No. 007 Series of 2012, which bans the use, sale and distribution of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials, such as Styrofoam (polystyrene), as packaging materials. (ICRD/RJB/JCP/PIA-NCR)
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