Vehicles illegally park in Dagupan City despite Duterte’s order

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – The sidewalk at Barangay Tapuac is scandalously abused by vehicle owners who wrongly parked there since time immemorial despite the mayor here crowing to the public that sidewalk obstructions here had been eradicated by 95 percent.

The area in Burgos Extension where shops like various vulcanizing services have become a magnet of vehicles like cars and motorized tricycles that avail the services there.

In his 2019 State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año to reclaim all public roads that are being used for private ends. The president added that the country loses P3.5 billion a day due to the Metro Manila traffic because of these obstructions and other traffic factors.

ILLEGAL PARKING. Motorized tricycles and even cars illegally park since time immemorial at the sidewalk of Burgos Extention in Barangay Tapuac, Dagupan City to avail the services of business establishments there. The drivers of these vehicles have been insensitive about the pedestrians who should have been using the sidewalk. Photo by Mortz C. Ortigoza

Duterte told Año also to suspend local government units’ officials who do not comply with the directive.

Memorandum Circular No. 2019-121 dated July 29, 2019 issued by Año said that “all local officials are enjoined to exercise their power essential to secure public roads which are used for private ends and in the process rid them of illegal structures and constructions”.

What sidewalk? A vegetable vendor (right) has blocked the sidewalk of the commercial center's A.B Fernandez Avenue in Dagupan City. The illegal vendor sells her commodities in broad daylight and near the city hall.

In his First 100 Days Report last October, Mayor Lim said that the LGU here was given a 95% grade by the DILG after more than two months of road clearing and sidewalk recovery operation.

“This would not have been possible if not for the efforts of the Public Order and Safety Office led by RobRob Erfe-Mejia, our Anti-Hawking Task Force led by Michael Hernando, Dagupan City Police headed by Lt. Col. Jun Mangalen, the barangay officials, and the City Engineering Office led by Nancy Nazareno,” he stressed in his report.

Obstructions at the sidewalk of Nueva Street in Barangay Poblacion 2.

But DILG City Officer Marliyn Laguipo disputed this 95% accomplishment claim. Laguipo told members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (legislature) here that this city had an accomplishment rate of 84% only.

Critics in the media assailed the 95% espoused by Lim when illegal vendors and hawkers and illegal extension of stores still abound at the sidewalks of A.B. Fernandez Avenue, Nueva Street in Barangay Poblacion 2, and other parts of the city.

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