BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said abandoned vehicles that cause obstructions along national and local roads around the city will be sold by the local government to junk shops once owners will defy the request of the anti-road obstruction task force for them to remove their vehicles along roadlines citywide.
The local chief executive said members of the anti-road obstruction task force will provide the owners of abandoned vehicles the appropriate notice to remove their vehicles that are obstructing roads before taking the necessary action to sell the said junk vehicles.
“We will still be considerate to the owners of the abandoned vehicles because we will issue them the appropriate notices for them to remove their junk vehicles within a 15-day period as part of due process. If the vehicle owners continue to defy the issued notices, it will be the turn of the anti-road obstruction task force to tow the vehicles to the junk shops because the local government does not have the luxury of space to accommodate the huge volume of junk vehicles along roads in the different parts of the city,” Domogan stressed.
He reiterated the previous appeal of local officials to motor vehicle owners not to park their vehicles on the sides of the road which contribute to the constriction of roads resulting to tremendous traffic congestions even in the city’s barangays.
According to him, the city government will invoke its authority over road-right-of-ways around the city and clear the same from obstructions to allow the smooth flow of traffic even along barangay roads so that motor vehicle owners will be compelled to look for parking areas that will not contribute to obstructions in the city.
Domogan reiterated his call on barangay officials to already identify vacant spaces in their respective areas of jurisdiction which could be used by their constituents as common parking spaces for their vehicles.
The city’s anti-road obstruction task force, which is composed of representatives from various government agencies, is expected to conduct a citywide clean-up of the obstructions along national, city and barangay roads to help in efforts to rid the streets of obstructions that contribute to the worsening traffic jams around the city.
Domogan revealed the local government will coordinate with concerned government agencies for the deputation of barangay officials in the city’s 128 barangays for them to be empowered to remove the license plates of vehicles that are pinpointed to be the causes of obstructions and compel the owners to pay the fine before they can claim their confiscated license plates.
He appealed to local residents and visitors to cooperate with the anti-obstruction task force to help ease the burden of people who encounter daily traffic congestions that result in their being late in their work, classes and appointments due to tremendous traffic jams being triggered by obstructions.
By Dexter A. See
