Mayor warns ‘dugyot’ contractors

Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued a fresh warning against contractors undertaking construction projects in the city who neglect the upkeep of their project sites and immediate surroundings and causing eyesore and safety hazards to the public and their own workers.

He said project contractors, especially those undertaking projects along sidewalks and public places should make it a habit to observe proper housekeeping and keep their construction sites tidy and free from debris for the safety of passersby, commuters and motorists.

“Please do not wait for me to call you out before you act. Leaving your places of work unkempt poses a hazard to people. This is part of your occupational safety responsibility. Seeing the upkeep of your project sites is also part of your obligations attached to their building permits,” he said.

Those who will continue to ignore their responsibilities will be penalized, he said.

The National Building Code mandates site engineers of government infrastructure projects to ensure orderliness of the site. Non-compliance may result in deductions in billing costs for the project.

Meanwhile, section 27 of City Ordinance No. 13-1993 requires owners/contractors to remove all materials and debris in any road, street or alley surrounding or adjacent to the site and immediately undertake restoration of destroyed or damaged public works within 72 hours.

“This condition shall be included in the contract or deemed included. The contract for the prosecution of the public works project. Final payment shall not be made unless the Office of the City Engineer certifies that the restoration work has been fully completed,” the ordinance provides.

This concern was brought to the fore when the mayor noticed the disorderly condition at the project site of an ongoing infrastructure project at Sto. Rosario Valley last week.

An inspection conducted by the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) upon the orders of the mayor last July 13, 2025 revealed several issues on material storage and site organization like “disorderly piling of materials, sidewalk obstruction” and absence of a representative of the contractor on site.

The City Engineer’s Office said the contractor had earlier been advised to clean up during an earlier inspection on July 8.As of July 14, debris clearing and proper housekeeping were carried out. A notice of violation was issued against the contractor. – Aileen P. Refuerzo