QC gov’t takes over maintenance of abandoned roads, open spaces in subdivisions in the city

Quezon City Hall (Wikipedia photo)

MANILA — The Quezon City government, through its city council, has approved an ordinance declaring abandoned roads, alleys, open spaces and excess lots in QC subdivisions as properties for public use by the city government.

According to Mayor Herbert M. Bautista, the ordinance was approved in line with the city government’s bid to prevent traffic congestion and develop idle spaces in all subdivisions in the city.

He said that Ordinance No. SP 2298 S-2014 allows the takeover of maintenance of such properties as necessary because “many real estate and subdivision owners, developers and operators have abandoned their obligations” to properly maintain subdivision roads, drainage systems, lighting systems and similar basic requirements.

“Abandonment of the said obligations is resulting to endangering of the health and safety of home and lot buyers,” Bautista explained.

He said that the new ordinance declares that “it is the policy of the QC government to ensure that all abandoned roads, alleys, open spaces, and excess lots located in subdivisions within the territorial jurisdiction of QC are properly maintained and preserved for public use.”

“The dissolution or cessation to exist of developers, owners or operators that have not officially turned over such open spaces to the city shall not preclude the city government from maintaining, preserving, and developing the same for the benefit of the general public,” he further said.

Under the new ordinance, the city government is responsible to maintain, repair, preserve and develop the abandoned properties for public use.

The city’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) is tasked to regulate vehicular traffic in the abandoned roads which are to be made accessible to the public.

Section 2 of Presidential Decree No. 1216, amending Section 31 of PD No. 957, requires the subdivision owner/developer to donate the subdivision roads, alleys, sidewalks and playgrounds to the city where the housing project is situated.

PD 1216 defines open spaces in residential subdivisions as areas reserved exclusively for parks, playgrounds, recreational uses, schools, roads, places of worship, hospitals, health centers, barangay centers and other similar facilities and amenities.