By Chito Chavez  Joint authorities of the Quezon City government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) conducted on Tuesday a clearing operation in Balintawak Market and other areas to allow a smoother flow of traffic in the city. Personnel of the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety together with the MMDA and Bureau of Fire Protection, held a clean-up drive along Balintawak Market in Quezon City, July 9, 2019. They removed Illegal vendors along the sidewalk and cleaned the area using fireman's hose.
(MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN) On orders of Mayor Joy Belmonte, the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) in coordination with the MMDA will continue to remove all forms of obstructions in the city to at least minimize the city’s traffic woes and ensure the safety of both the pedestrians and motorists. The operation was conducted for two straight days as the city government has vowed to maintain law and order in the city. In yesterday’s clearing operation, the illegal sidewalk vendors were shooed away from the front and back of Balintawak Market. To recall, Belmonte gave strict orders to the DPOS to conduct an extensive clearing operations in the city. The city’s DPOS assuring no let-up in the drive has vowed to come back to the places of their sidewalk clearing operations in case the unlawful vendors decide to return to the illegal vending places. Uncollected garbage bags were also picked up by the MMDA and city government operatives. There were no reports of any untoward incidents during the early morning operation which started at 4:30 a.m. On Monday, the MMDA and the city government towed and issued citation tickets to the owners of the illegally parked vehicles on East Avenue and nearby areas. Some 14 vehicles were towed including ambulances illegally parked in front of Philippine Heart Center.