Manila City is not the only place in the National Capital Region that receiving a total makeover.
On July 26, netizen Rachel Garcia, SK Chairperson of Baclaran showed the transformation of their Barangay after the cleanup operation conducted since last week to remove the illegal vendors and other obstructions.
Baclaran which located along the border of Pasay City and Paranaque City was known for being a crowded place, full of illegal vendors and sometimes lawbreakers who victimize passerby.
But the photos posted by Garcia proves that Baclaran can still transform into a cleaner Barangay.
After the cleanup operation, streets in Baclaran are now accessible by vehicles.
Businesses that operate in the right place were not closed by the City Government of Paranaque.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the local chief executives of Pasay and Parañaque on Tuesday also continued the cleanup operation along Baclaran to ensure that the illegal vendors cannot operate their businesses anymore.
“Dati naman kasi kaya pabalik-balik ‘yan, sabi ko nga hindi ganoong kaano ‘yung mandato eh. Kumbaga napagbibigyan. Pag ginusto talaga, mawawala, hindi babalik,” MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia said.
MMDA also said that they’re not anti-vendor and they only wanted to bring back the streets to the motorists.
“Hindi kami anti-vendor. Inaayos lang natin, itinatama lang natin. Nililinis lang natin. Kasi nga ‘yung common good. Para madaanan ng mga motorista. Kumbaga kung may isang daang pamilya ang mga vendors, ang naaapektuhan niyan libu-libong motorista,” he said.
Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivares vowed to sustain the cleanliness of Baclaran.
According to him, Baclaran has much room for businesses and illegal vendors should rent to available commercial spaces if they wanted to continue working in the said Barangay.
“Ang ginagawa natin sustainable dapat, hindi ‘yung isang araw lang makikita natin malinis, second day malinis. So in-organize na ng atingMMDA, ng ating city government at ng yung mga barangay to be sustainable itong ating lugar na ito at kasama rin natin ang police dito,” Olivares said.
“Kung makikita natin dito sa Baclaran may mga bakante tayong mga building dito na commercial spaces naman, na doon natin ilalagay sila para maging ligal na sila doon sa kanilang pagtitinda,” he added.
The cleanup operation happened after President Rodrigo Duterte and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered the Metro Manila Mayors to clean up their cities within 60 days.