The compliance of all local government units in Central Visayas with the road clearing directive has been validated as of March 2, 2021.
The road clearing validation was scheduled from February 16 to March 2.
To ensure the impartiality of the validation process, validation teams composed of a representative from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and a civil society organization were created and cross-posted, which means they must not be assigned in their original LGU of assignment or residence.
CROSS-VALIDATION
LGU TO BE VALIDATED | ASSIGNED VALIDATION TEAM
Cebu City | Mandaue City
Mandaue City | Cebu City
Lapu-Lapu City | Cebu Province
Cebu Province | Lapu-Lapu City
For island provinces such as Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, cross-validation is conducted within the province due to travel restrictions.
On March 9, DILG-7 submitted to DILG Central Office the consolidated LGU compliance data as well as the pertinent documents. However, DILG-7 cannot disclose the validation scores yet so as not to preempt the deliberation and determination of the Ad Hoc Committee on Road Clearing Compliance, which will be the one to determine if the LGU has passed or failed.
But per initial information from DILG-7 sub-regional offices, Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division Chief Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero said the efforts of Highly Urbanized Cities in the region such as Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City to comply with the President’s directive are commendable.
LGUs that may be determined to have unsatisfactorily complied with DILG’s road clearing issuances (Memorandum Circulars 2020-027 and 2020-145) will be individually notified of their areas for improvement (AOIs) and provided with an additional 30-day period to comply.
After the 30 days, these LGUs will be revalidated by the Ad Hoc Committee.
To recall, the conduct of road clearing operations was suspended in light of the threat of COVID-19 starting on March 15, 2020 and resumed on November 16 in view of the flattened COVID-19 curve and improved quarantine classifications.
The effort forms part of the COVID-19 response and recovery interventions under Republic Act 11494, or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which provided for the regulation of traffic on all roads, streets and bridges and removal of encroachments and illegal constructions in public places.
Local governments were given until February 15, 2021 to comply with the directive in accordance with their respective community quarantine classification.
The road clearing program was fully implemented in Central Visayas since all provinces and highly urbanized cities are already under Modified General Community Quarantine.
Earlier, DILG-7 Director Leocadio Trovela remained optimistic that the LGUs could achieve a higher compliance rate or sustain the gains from last year when there was a significantly high compliance rate of more than 90 percent in the region.
DILG-7 thru its field offices have worked closely with the LGUs and other stakeholders to fully comply with the said presidential directive.
TIMELINE OF POST-VALIDATION ACTIVITIES PURSUANT TO DILG MEMORANDUM ON 02 MARCH 2021
March 2, 2021 | End of the Validation Period
March 9, 2021 | Deadline of submission of consolidated LGU Compliance Data from Regional Offices
March 12, 2021 | Finalization of National Compliance Data
March 15-19, 2021 | Deliberation of compliance results and determination of final list of LGUs with AOIs
March 22-26, 2021 | Issuance of individual notices to LGUs with AOIs
March 29, 2021 | Start of additional period to comply for LGUs with AOIs
April 28, 2021 | End of additional 30-day period and beginning of re-validation