MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday removed road obstructions hindering traffic flow along a major thoroughfare in Manila after receiving complaints through the Presidential Hotline 8888.
MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim supervised the joint operations composed of members of its Special Operations Task Group and Manila City Anti-Illegal Parking Operations Team in clearing the stretch of Geronimo Street at Barangay 732 Zone 44 in Sampaloc.
The initiative is in compliance with the directive of the Presidential Action Center to decongest the major road where Ospital ng Sampaloc is located.
“Barangay leaders are aware of this clearing operation since this road (Geronimo Street) was a subject of complaint through 8888. Residents have reported the presence of illegally-parked vehicles and food stall businesses on the road,” Lim said in a statement.
The MMDA dismantled the food stalls, eateries, sari-sari stores built on portions of Geronimo Street. The road clearing teams also confiscated food carts, wooden carts, bicycles, wooden benches, construction materials, plant boxes that were impeding the flow of traffic.
The agency issued traffic violation tickets to motorists whose vehicles are illegally parked on the road while a number of vehicles were also towed and impounded.
The MMDA is coordinating with Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Dino to ensure that barangay officials will maintain orderliness in their jurisdictions and cooperate with the agency’s drive against road obstructions.
MMDA Acting General Manager Jojo Garcia said the agency would also look into the permits issued to ongoing construction of residential projects along the road.
“We wonder how some of the residential buildings were able to obtain permits when they fall short in maintaining setback restrictions,” Garcia said. (PNA)
