MMDA looking for a few good men... and women

Fresh graduates having difficulty seeking employment may want to consider a career as traffic enforcers at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando has announced that the agency is still looking for new traffic enforcers as there are not enough qualified applicants to fill up their needs.

The MMDA has lost a total of 309 traffic enforcers since the assumption of Fernando as chairman last June 2002.

The first batch of enforcers relieved totaled 109 as a result of various violations, most of which were related to corrupt practices. Recently a second batch was axed, totaling some 200 enforcers, due to falsification of time cards.

MMDA General Manager Robert Nacianceno said that only half of the applicants have been able to qualify because of the higher standards set under the new administration.

Nacianceno pointed out that the basic pay for an enforcer is P9,600 a month.

On top of the salary, the enforcers are also given a share of 15 percent of the total traffic violation receipts they had issued.

Nacianceno noted that an enforcer could earn as much as P20,000 a month, the highest ever recorded, on top of the basic pay from the share of citation ticket revenues.

Fernando said he specifically wants college graduates in order to improve the image and service of the MMDA.

"Maybe if we have good looking and articulate traffic enforcers, the image of the MMDA will improve," Fernando said.

Male applicants should be at least 5’6 in height and females should be at least 5’3.

The MMDA has long been plagued by a reputation of being corrupt because of the traffic enforcers.

Most of the traffic enforcers had been taken from a pool of Metro Aides, who were trained to man the streets due to a surplus of personnel.

The MMDA has retired almost all of these traffic enforcers who have either reached or exceeded the retirement age.