Pasay officials: No way for MMDA to take charge of traffic management

Pasay City officials threatened to ban the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority from the city once the latter makes good its plan to take over the traffic management of Pasay, particularly the Metro Rail Transit area along Taft Avenue.

Florencio Mateo, head of the Pasay Traffic and Parking Management, said the MMDA is not authorized to take control of Pasay City’s busy streets. "It is only the local government which can impose rules and regulations on the city’s major thoroughfares," he said. Mateo said that Pasay has its own traffic ordinance and that this was mandated by the Local Government Code. Even if there are complaints particularly on the traffic flow in the Metro Rail Transit along Taft Avenue, these should reportedly be addressed, or forwarded to the Office of the Mayor.

"The MMDA has no legislative police power. They can only provide assistance or act as a coordinating body to local government units. The problem with them is that they are used to implementing projects without seeking the consent of the mayor of a particular locality," Mateo said.

In fact, he pointed out, we continue changing traffic enforcers every six months especially if they are misbehaving. "Last June, I even dismissed five of my men after they were found positive for the use of illegal drugs."

Mateo said he recommended to the mayor to ban the MMDA from intervening in the city’s affairs or activities.

For his part, Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad said he will not allow the MMDA to enforce its plan.