To give the public a respite from the expected traffic congestion this Christmas season, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Friday ordered the city’s anti-illegal vendor task force to continue its road clearing operations throughout the month of December.
Estrada said this is the time the city government should be more strict and relentless in clearing the main roads and sidewalks of Manila of all forms of traffic-causing obstructions, including illegal vendors.
“No, we will continue with our road clearing operations. Just because it’s Christmas does not mean we will relax our campaign,” Estrada said.
“We have to keep our roads and sidewalks open, especially now that the Christmas season is fast approaching, for the convenience of the public,” he added.
Earlier, Estrada announced he would no longer allow another night market along Recto Avenue from Abad Santos to Juan Luna streets this December to lessen the expected traffic congestion during the Christmas rush.
The Manila Night Market was Estrada’s idea in 2013 to continue giving opportunities to vendors who were displaced in the process of clearing out the sidewalks and streets during daytime.
Instead, Estrada said a night market limited to vegetable and wet goods vendors will be put up along Recto Avenue between Juan Luna to Asuncion streets and will be open from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Che Borromeo, head of Task Force Manila Cleanup, said the mayor’s instructions are clear: do not allow the city’s precious roadways and sidewalks to be occupied again.
Together with members of the Department of Public Services, Borromeo’s task force again raided Evangelista Street, between Raon and Recto Avenue, and drove away around 100 sidewalk vendors.
Borromeo said the street is virtually impassable to vehicles during rush hours because of the huge number of vendors occupying the sidewalks, which force pedestrians to walk on the street and compete with vehicles for the road space.
Task Force Manila Cleanup is also set to conduct clearing operations along Capulong Street, from Juan Luna Street to R-10 in Tondo, according to Borromeo.
Since June, Estrada has intensified the city government’s road and sidewalk clearing operations, driving away more than 3,500 illegal vendors and removing countless number of obstructions and illegal structures.
Estrada has personally led clearing operations in Divisoria, Blumentritt, Quiapo, Binondo, Sta. Cruz, R-10, and Pedro Gil, among other roads, and roads leading to and from the Port of Manila. He had also cleaned up the University Belt weeks before the June 13 opening of classes.
