MMDA workers threaten suit vs Tolentino, others

MANILA,m Philippines - Workers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) who are protesting the agency’s alleged refusal to release their benefits under the collective negotiation agreement (CNA) signed last year are threatening to file a graft case against the agency’s officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Members of the 4,000-strong Kapisanan para sa Kagalingan ng mga Kawani ng MMDA (KKK-MMDA) have been maintaining a picket line since Monday at the office of the MMDA in Orense, Makati in a bid to pressure MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino to meet them for a dialog on their demand.

Teresa Gonzales, KKK-MMDA secretary general said each member of their group should have been given P25,000 representing a cash bonus after the signing of the CNA between them and MMDA officials in August last year.

“Isang taon na kaming naghihintay para dito. Ayaw kaming harapin ni Chairman Tolentino,” said Gonzales.

“Kung kinakailangan na, mag sasampa kami ng kaso laban sa kanila (MMDA officials) sa Ombudsman,” added Gonzales.

Gonzales added that their group has asked the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to look into the case. She added that MMDA workers have regularly received their cash incentives after each signing of the CNA since the term of former MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Gonzales said the MMDA also has no reason to withhold the release  of the cash incentivesof  the workers as the agency maintains a P211-million time deposit at the Philippine National Bank.

The MMDA earlier, however,  said the amount could not be used for the workers’ cash incentives as the fund is being used by the agency to shore-up its operating expenses.

Gonzales said the MMDA should have anticipated its operating expenses and properly included these in its budget request.

For her part, MMDA General Manager Corazon Jimenez said the MMDA could not release the cash incentives as it has no savings to fund it.

“The CNA signing bonus should come from saving measures of the entire agency. The financial statements will show that we do not have savings with the enormous task of the MMDA. When the CNA was signed in August 2012, we had a slashed budget,” said Jimenez. - Mike Frialde