MANILA, Philippines — Of the 17 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila, only Taguig City received a low grade when it came to complying with President Duterte’s order to clear all public roads of obstructions, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In a press briefing last week, DILG officials said they used a four-tier rating system to evaluate the mayors on the percentage of primary and secondary roads they had cleared within a 60-day period: High, medium, low and failed compliance.

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Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said that 12 LGUs got a high compliance rating with 91 to 100 percent of roads cleared. These were Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pateros, San Juan and Valenzuela.

Manila, Muntinlupa, Quezon City and Pasig, on the other hand, got a medium compliance rating (81 to 90 percent).

71 to 80 percent

Taguig, the sixth biggest city in Metro Manila in terms of land area, ended up at the bottom with a low compliance rating of 71 to 80 percent.

In a DILG-National Capital Region memorandum last month on the road clearing operations, Taguig reported that it had removed obstructions in 75.7 percent of its road networks—4.8 kilometers of roads and 1.3 km of sidewalks.

In a statement, Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano said he had yet to receive a copy of the evaluation but added that he was “confident about what [had] been achieved so far.”

He added that the city government would continue to implement its “mobility plan” to give residents and visitors “quicker and safer travels” beyond the 60-day deadline imposed by the DILG that ended on Sept. 29.

The plan was focused on a holistic four-phase approach to ensure mobility, and went beyond the actual clearing of obstructions on major and secondary roads.

It also included road and sidewalk restoration and “beautification” as well as infrastructure projects.

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Before Cayetano’s election in May, Taguig City was under the leadership of his sister-in-law Lani, who was in office for three consecutive terms or nine years.

Year-end reevaluation

DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that cities with low ratings on road clearing compliance, such as Taguig, might be reevaluated by December.

“We will talk to them, and ask them why they [scored] low. You were the ones who gave us the inventory of roads and sidewalks to be cleared, so why did you not meet [your targets]?” he added.

According to the DILG, out of 1,245 LGUs nationwide that were evaluated, 97 received a failing grade.

Año said these mayors would receive show-cause orders, compelling them to explain why they did not meet their targets.

Should they fail to submit an explanation or if the DILG would find their explanation lacking, the LGUs could face administrative charges for dereliction of duty and negligence, leading to their suspension or dismissal from office.

Based on DILG records, 328 mayors were found to be highly compliant, while 497 mayors got a medium rating. The remaining 323 mayors, on the other hand, received a low rating. But over 300 LGUs in Mindanao have yet to be evaluated.

60-day ultimatum

During this year’s State of the Nation Address, President Duterte gave a 60-day ultimatum for all LGUs to rid public roads of all obstructions to improve traffic flow.

On July 29, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular No. 2019-121, directing all governors, mayors and barangay chairs nationwide to “exercise their powers essential to reclaim public roads which are being used for private ends, and rid them of illegal structures and constructions.”

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