An official of the Ancillary Service Unit (ASU) disclosed that demolition operations against illegal structures in Davao City continue amidst the pandemic but assured that public health protocols are being implemented.
Paul Previldo Bermejo, head of ASU, told Edge Davao that implementing the protocols in the demolition site is a challenge, however, assured that these are observed to prevent transmission of Covid-19.
“Oo wala ta’y undang ug sidewalk clearing pati ang other duties and responsibilities sa atoa especially ang drainage clean-up and every Saturday naa pud ta’y coastline and riverbanks clean up. Observing the public health protocols challenge kaayo na sa amoa,” he said.
Bermejo said to ensure that there will be no transmission among the demolition team, it was divided into two groups with 10 members each group.
“Lain sa buntag, lain sa hapon,” he said.
Bermejo said ASU is averaging 10 demolitions a day of abandoned structures, damaged tricycles, and stalls obstructing the road.
He said confiscated items can be claimed by the claimants/owners every Wednesday. Confiscated items were deposited in the ASU office in Ma-a.
“Nag set ta ug adlaw in a week to release confiscated items sa claimants labi na tong mga baligya (perishable items). We discourage them na magkarga ug mga baligya kay usahay kung dili na ma-claim mangalata lang man diri. Kung perishable gyud gina-donate nato na sa mga government accredited institutions. On non-perishable items like guba na mga stalls, STL booths, ginatanggal pud na nato kay ginahimo naman na ug basurahan sa mga tao nga naa sa palibot,” he explained.
ASU is a division under City Mayor’s Office (CMO) which is responsible for addressing the problems and concerns arising from the illegal occupants, structures, and vendors from sidewalks to ensure its use for the pedestrian as well as in maintaining the cleanliness of the drainage networks of the city.
The unit was created on February 15, 2017, through Executive Order No. 05, Series of 2017 to manage and supervise the Roxas Night Market including the safety, operations, regulations, and the implementation of sanitation in the area. ASU was established to lessen the problems of flooding, traffic congestion, and the proliferation of illegal vendors occupying the sidewalks and major streets.
“Based on EO No. 5 Series of 2017, ASU is allowed to summarily removed obstructions on sidewalks, roads, road right of way (ROW), pedestrian lane, pedestrian overpass. When you say summarily removed, bisag wala na’y due process na ginatawag wala na puwede na namo na isya i-clear ang sidewalk kung wala na gyud agianan ang pedestrian,. However, bisag allowed mi to summarily removed obstructions on sidewalks and roads, gina-proseso giapon na namo. Amos a sila ng ginawanringan ug hangyo na sila na magtanggal. Kung mahimo i-self demolish na nila ilang structures. Pero kung pagbalik namo naa lang gihpoan ang ilang structures, ginatabnagan namo na sila sa pag self- demolish,” Bermejo said.
Bermejo has called on the public not to set up structures in danger zones, avoid double siding as they will choke the sidewalk, and not go up to the overpass to sell to avoid getting demolished or removed.
