Puerto Princesa’s national road clearing low compliance rating of 70 percent was not without a justifiable reason, a city government official said Monday.
Anti-Crime Task Force (ACTF) chief and city information officer Richard Ligad said they are supposed to achieve the medium compliance rating of 90 percent but the removal of the power utility poles of Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) from some roads in Puerto Princesa are difficult to resolve.
“Malapit na tayong mag-90 percent. Ang alam ko malapit na kasi iyong mga inilatag sa huling meeting namin, unang-una, ‘yong PALECO, kasi syempre hindi naman namin talaga kayang tanggalin ‘yong mga posteng nakaharang kasi hindi naman kami expert. PALECO talaga ‘yon. Poste na ‘yong pinag-uusapan doon,” he said.
Ligad said the city’s concern is only the streetlights and they have already ordered Engr. Rolly So of the City Engineering Office (CEO) to conduct an inventory of the number that will have to be removed.
He said removal will only begin if the CEO has already provided the list.
“‘Yong atin lang naman ‘yong streetlights natin. Nag-order na kay Engr. So na ‘yong mga nakaharang i-inventory na tapos tanggalin na. Pero ‘yong nakita doon sa DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) talagang ‘yong poste ng PALECO. ‘Yong mga nakaharang sa daan na poste,” Ligad said.
Ligad also said they will clarify with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) the claim that the obstruction clearing order is being used as a reason for property owners to vacate portions of their lots for road widening.
“‘Yan ang dapat nating i-clarify sa DPWH kasi ang alam ko meron talagang proseso pero hindi naman ‘yong road clearing ang dapat gamitin d’yan,” he added.
During his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July, President Rodrigo Duterte gave local chief executives nationwide 60 days to “reclaim all public roads that are being used for private ends.”
The deadline for this was September 29.
