Barangay Alley program launched in Manila

Manila City Hall has allocated some P40 million and would tap the talents of local skilled workers in at least 72 barangays to renovate selected secondary and tertiary roads as part of their inner city development projects.

Arnold "Ali" Atienza, Manila City Hall-Inner City Projects chairman, said the developmental projects are covered by the "Barangay Alley" program, which is under the umbrella flagship program "Buhayin ang Maynila," which was started by his father, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

The younger Atienza said the objective of the program is to revive the Bayanihan spirit. He started conceptualizing the program about two months ago.

"This will be all about ‘community involvement for development.’ Since we have already completed the repair of the major thoroughfares, it is now time to move on to the secondary and tertiary roads," he pointed out.

The objective is to rehabilitate side streets, sidewalks, street lighting and drainage systems of selected areas.

He lamented that despite the effort of the city government to illuminate the city and deter crime, there are still those who conduct illegal activities in the dark and even destroy the light bulbs on lampposts.

The younger Atienza said they plan on setting up higher lampposts, similar to those along the renovated Remedios Circle, which would make it more difficult for troublemakers to target bulbs.

He added that out of the 900 barangays in the city, the target priorities are areas that are used by many pedestrians, particularly students, or roads near schools and streets where vehicles often pass.

Through this project, City Hall also hopes to generate jobs for Manileños. For every barangay, they would employ an average of six workers, or a total of 432 people since beautification projects would be conducted in 72 communities. Each worker will receive a daily salary of P250.

There will be a Barangay Alley target project in all the six districts of Manila: 12 barangays in Herbosa in District 1, from Juan Luna street to R-10; 19 barangays in Juan Luna in District 2, from Tayuman up to city limits (from Pure Gold to the Caloocan border); six barangays at Quiapo Mosque area in District 3, from Gunao, Arlergui, Basan, Bautista and Palanca streets; 19 barangays in G. Tuazon in District 4, from Domingo Santiago until the city limit; five barangays in San Andres in District 5, near Anakbayan from Taft Avenue to South Superhighway; and 11 barangays in Jesus to Laura in District 6 from Nagtahan and Inviernes street.