QC gov’t demolishes guard houses used as toll booths outside villages, subdivisions

The Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) demolished on Tuesday the guardhouse of a private subdivision on Katipunan Avenue in Barangay San Bartolome, which was being used to collect fees from motorists and delivery trucks passing through the area.

The guardhouse, owned by California Village located on Katipunan Avenue, a Mabuhay lane, was considered a road obstruction. It reportedly collected a fee of P50 up to P200 from motorists.

“Tuloy-tuloy ang operation natin sa mga illegal na guard house kahit pa sa private subdivisions. Makikita naman na obstruction ang mga ito at hindi dapat pinagbabayad ang mga motorista para lang makadaan sa mga pampublikong kalsada (We continue our operation against illegal guard houses even in private subdivisions. These are obstructions and motorists should not be obliged to pay just to pass public roads),” DPOS head Elmo San Diego said.

Another guard house at California Village was also demolished.

Meanwhile, Sierra Vista Subdivision homeowners dismantled two of their own guard houses, also located on Katipunan Avenue.

Moreover, three guard houses-cum-toll booths at Kingspoint Subdivision and two at Goodwill Subdivision were also demolished to clear the roads.

“We do not tolerate private subdivisions that take advantage of our motorists just because they have to pass their gates. Mabuhay lanes are public roads and no one should pay any amount to access these roads,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility. We must refrain from obstructing public roads to give way not just for motorized vehicles but also to alternative transportation users and pedestrians,” she added.