Atienza belies claims he left Manila coffers empty

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza yesterday denounced repeated allegations reportedly made by his successor, Mayor Alfredo Lim, that the Manila city government was bankrupt after his third term as mayor.

In a statement, Atienza said if the Manila government claims bankruptcy, nobody must be blamed but themselves.

“They (current local officials of Manila) must be responsible enough to manage the premier city properly,” he said.

Atienza said if the current local officials of Manila are failing, they are answerable to the people.

“Inheriting a poor annual revenue collection of only P2 billion from my predecessor in 1998, my administration, through innovative reforms, overwhelmingly raised it up to P8 billion. Our income-generating efforts were evidenced by topping the ranks in a center spread published in the 2006 financial report of no less than the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of Finance (DOF),” Atienza said.

Atienza said he remains to be the only mayor of Manila elected for three consecutive terms.

He said during his nine-year administration as Manila mayor, the city enjoyed a “very healthy economy” when taxes were effectively collected and efficiently delivered back to Manilans under his highly commended successful “Buhayin ang Maynila” urban renewal and development program.

During Atienza’s term, he said city hall services were not only felt but experienced. Among others, he said, health centers and hospitals had adequate equipment, facilities and medicines as nutrition programs were also in place.

Young Manilans, especially the poor, were given quality education with competitive standards.

Garbage was regularly collected also and roads were well maintained. “The city had a clean and healthy environment to live in,” he said.

Businesses were thriving as jobs and livelihood opportunities were generated, said Atienza.

“We had a vision and it was pursued and delivered. My performance as Manila’s father is sufficient proof of genuine public service, but lies being peddled about my administration must be corrected. Lies repeated often enough might be perceived as the gospel truth,” he said. – Sandy Araneta