One congressman has proposed that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) be made redundant as soon as possible.
Rep. Joel Chua, Congressman of the 3rd District of Manila, went straight to the point and said “abolish MMDA now” during his privilege speech. Rep. Chua argues that if the government is keen on pushing through with its National Government Rightsizing Program (NGRP), the MMDA’s services will no longer be needed under proposed National Capital Region Coordinating Council.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Report: Week-long Jeepney strike to start on March 6
PH fuel price update: Diesel to roll back by P1.30/L, gas by P0.70/L this week
Chua also pointed out that the MMDA has no legislative or police powers, and therefore has no authority to act on behalf of Metro Manila cities that it covers. “[The MMDA] has no capacity to cover the jurisdiction of mayors and barangay captains in NCR because the provisions in the constitution on the local government, and the Local Government Code of 1991, bears more weight,” said the congressman.
On top of those, Rep. Chua took aim at several MMDA activities, such as road clearing operations and demolition of informal settlements, stating that these are not always being done in coordination of the local government units (LGUs). He also alleged unfinished projects, corrupt practices, and ghost employees within the agency.
Romando Artes, acting chairman of the MMDA, has since responded to Rep. Chua’s speech. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Artes says the only way to abolish the MMDA is to amend the law that created it in the first place. The MMDA falls under the direct supervision of the Office of the President of the Philippines. That means the congress must give the President strong reasons as to why the MMDA has outlived its purpose.
According to Republic Act 7924, the MMDA oversees the “planning, monitoring and coordinative functions, and in the process exercise regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metro-wide services within Metro Manila without diminution of the autonomy of the local government units concerning purely local matters”.
