As an offshoot of the road clearing operations that eventually scrapped the old parking zones in the city, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued another memorandum circular directing the local government units to promulgate all the necessary policy issuances or appropriate ordinances to address all traffic and sidewalk concerns such as but not limited to parking and no parking policies.

Such was the supplemental issuance contained in the DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-167 also directing the local chief executives to ensure continuity of the undertaking by institutionalizing sustainability mechanism… as well as transition livelihood plans and programs for those affected.

DILG-ZC Operations Division Chief Isidro Cillo, Jr. said supplemental issuance of DILG Central Office likewise ordered the LGUs to impose the required setback and parking for residential and commercial establishments.

It was further ordered for the LGU to review the business permits granted to establishments without the required parking space, and to designate commercial space for affected stakeholders, and the transfer of the responsibility to the respective barangays under their jurisdiction to be the primary unit responsible for continued maintenance and sustainability of all cleared roads.

To recall, the city government of Zamboanga passed the validation of its road clearing operations with 90 points by the regional validating team.

As a result, the one-side street parking zones had been scrapped, making Zamboanga city virtually a no parking anytime anywhere. After the validation, the city government had asked the DILG Regional Office 9 for clearance regarding the one-side parking. But before it could send its query to the central office, the latter had transmitted the supplemental issuance (MC 167).-(Vic Larato)