MANILA, Philippines ? Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista has threatened to freeze the city government?s financial support to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority if the agency continues to disregard local policies on traffic management and illegal settlers.

The actor-turned-politician said the city council had invited MMDA chief Bayani Fernando to their regular session on Monday to explain why the agency implemented new traffic schemes without any consultation with local government executives.

Bautista said he was particularly concerned about the effect of the MMDA?s move to prohibit tricycles from plying Katipunan Avenue and demolition operations in Balintawak and Novaliches.

Apart from the unnecessary inconvenience to commuters, he said the ban also resulted in a decrease in the income of tricycle drivers and operators.

He added that the new guideline was also in utter disregard of the city council?s mandate to give franchises to tricycles.

?If they go on with their practice, we will not think twice about stemming the city government?s financial help to MMDA,? the vice mayor said over the phone.

According to Bautista, the MMDA receives five percent of the annual net revenues of every city and municipality in Metro Manila.

Although the financial assistance was mandatory, the city council could withhold the fund ?until such time they coordinate with us,? he added.

In the case of Quezon City, he said the MMDA is set to get at least P400 million from the city?s expected P8.6 billion income this year.

?I don?t have anything against Bayani Fernando. I am just voicing out the sentiments of our constituents,? he told the Inquirer.

Several areas in Quezon City are only accessible by tricycles plying the national roads, according to the vice mayor.

Fernando, however, shrugged off the threat, adding that although MMDA shares with local authorities the responsibility of enforcing traffic policies on national roads such as Katipunan Avenue, it is the MMDA that, by law, has jurisdiction over these areas.

He said he was open to the idea of meeting with Quezon City officials to discuss the matter. With DJ Yap