Manila to redevelop Quiapo district

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza fired off a set of directives yesterday aimed at redeveloping the Quiapo district, including the Muslim community area.

He gave illegal vendors near the Islamic Center in Quiapo until the end of the week to move out of the streets before the city government starts demolishing their stalls.

At the start of year 2006, Mayor Atienza made it clear that the main thrust of the local government would be restoring cleanliness, order and development of Quiapo since it has been associated with illegal vending and other forms of criminality.

"We are starting the year right and we want residents and establishment owners to sustain this by helping us develop the area into a model community," he said. "Vendors are given five days to ship out their goods and remove their stalls, otherwise we will come in and we will ship out and confiscate and demolish all illegal structures we find."

Focus of the redevelopment effort would be the primary streets near the Islamic Center in Quiapo, namely Elizondo, Globo de Oro, Gunao, Arlegui and Palanca.

Atienza said City Hall will clean the surroundings and install lighting since "it is along dimly lit areas where crimes are often committed."

"Spaghetti" electrical wires and cables would also placed in order as well as drainage systems, sidewalks and flow of traffic.

Manila is also eyeing beautification projects and improvement of the water supply in the area.

The Manila Traffic Police, on the other hand, would take charge in removing the illegal terminals for jeepneys and pedicabs.

Enforcers will ban double parking and only allow vehicles to occupy one side of main roads. Vehicles will not be allowed to park along sidestreets.