MMDA thinks Metro Manila cities accomplished road clearing ops

MANILA, Philippines — As far as Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia is concerned, no local chief executive in the National Capital Region will be suspended for non-compliance to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order against obstructions on public roads to help ease traffic flow.

According to Garcia, all mayors of the 17 cities in Metro Manila exerted effort and complied with the presidential order.

“I think no one will be suspended,” Garcia said in Filipino on Thursday after the Metro Manila Council meeting on public road reclamation.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July, Duterte gave local government heads across the country 60 days to reclaim all public roads that were being used for private purposes.

Duterte’s deadline lapsed on September 29.

READ: Duterte to Año: Take back public roads to ease Metro Manila traffic

However, Garcia noted that they will wait for the official assessment of the Department of the Interior and Local Government on the status of reclamation efforts made by cities.

“Of course, I don’t want to get ahead of the DILG’s assessment. But the way I see it … there is enforcement,” he said. /kga