Metro mayors mull plebiscite for MMDA

The Metro Manila Council has agreed to pass a resolution calling for a plebiscite on whether to strengthen the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or convert it into a regional government.

In its regular meeting yesterday, almost all the members of the MMC, composed of the 17 mayors of Metro Manila, gave their support for the retention of the MMDA.

Even the LGUs that were most vocal in calling for the abolition of the MMDA, namely San Juan and Makati City, expressed their support for the existence of the agency.

Only three of the 17 LGUs were not represented in yesterday’s meeting namely: Pasay City, Caloocan City and Valenzuela.

Those present also agreed that the MMDA should be strengthened to fulfill its responsibilities as dictated by its mandate.

Most of the members stressed that the MMDA should be vested with legislative powers to improve its effectiveness.

A number admitted that they were displeased over the delivery of services by the MMDA, particularly in the collection of garbage and traffic management.

On the part of Makati City and San Juan, the city and municipal administrators issued their conditional support to the MMDA on behalf of their respective mayors.

The two officials explained that support for the MMDA will only continue if the MMDA is able to provide the basic functions under its mandate.

Manila City Mayor Lito Atienza, for his part, suggested the conversion of the MMDA into a regional government. "We have to stop experimenting on the MMDA. This is not addressing the problems. Now we see that the growth of the region is based on the effectiveness of the MMDA," Atienza said.

Atienza noted that he was one of the main supporters of the establishment of a regional government in Metro Manila during the early 1970s which failed to make any ground.

The regional government was compared to the present set-up of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Atienza added that a duly elected governor will be in charge of the regional government with the support of a council similar to the MMC. He suggested that a plebiscite should be conducted to decide the fate of the MMDA.

On the part of MMDA Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., he supported the idea of a plebiscite to decide on the two options.

Abalos clarified that the legislative powers sought for the MMDA will only be limited to the functions of the MMDA. – Marvin Sy