Erap eyes zero debts for Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Nearly a year after he took over Manila’s top post, Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday he plans to pay most of Manila’s debts by the end of the year.

He said that his predecessor, Alfredo Lim, left behind more than P630 million in unpaid Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) bills and P57 million in Maynilad Water Services Inc. bills, but the city government has paid half of the amount.

“Hopefully, we will be able to pay all of the city government’s debts to Meralco and Maynilad within the year,” Estrada said.

He said that Lim left the city government bankrupt “because of his corrupt administration.”

Estrada earlier said while wants to celebrate his administration’s first year, “a celebration would mean that we have accomplished what we set out to do… We are getting there, but we are not there yet.”

He said the city government has P1 billion in cash holdings, but owes a total of P3.5 billion – some of the amount being employees’ contributions that Lim’s administration did not remit to the Government Service Insurance System, Pag-Ibig Fund and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

The city government was also asked to settle back taxes of P684 million incurred by Lim’s administration, Estrada added.

He added that another challenge his administration is facing is that Manila has the highest incidence of joblessness and poverty.

“When you have two such serious social conditions existing side by side, you have the perfect breeding ground for crime,” Estrada said.