A lawmaker sought on Monday the abolition of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), claiming it has been wasting billions in public funds with nothing to show for them.
In a privilege speech, Manila Rep. Joel Chua proposed that, once abolished as part of bureaucratic rightsizing, the MMDA’s work should be taken over by the Metro Manila Council of mayors.
Chua claimed that the MMDA has been encroaching into the jurisdiction of Metro Manila’s local governments and duplicating the work of national agencies. The MMDA has also been bloating its bureaucracy through the years from 6,812 personnel in 2011 to 9,767 personnel in 2021, he added.
He noted that billions of funds have been given to the MMDA for projects, which the agency has not fully implemented.
Chua cited the MMDA flood control projects worth P635.5 million of which 20 have not been completed as of 2021; and 49 other uncompleted projects costing P1.624 billion.
According to the lawmaker, issues and concerns pertaining to the capital region could be sufficiently addressed by the Metro Manila Council of mayors.
Chua claimed that the MMDA has been “disrupting the lives of Manila residents through MMDA operations involving demolitions of homes, clearing of roads and sidewalks and traffic management and enforcement.”
He maintained that the MMDA has not been coordinating its activities and operations with local governments.
Chua proposed that the MMDA’s roles and functions of development planning; transport and traffic management; solid waste disposal and management, sanitation, pollution control and flood control; sewerage management and sanitation; urban renewal, zoning, and land use planning and shelter services; public health; and public safety, be reverted to the Metro Manila Council as well as the national government agencies and offices.
He pointed out, “If there are major infrastructure projects in Metro Manila, we have the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the Department of Information and Communications Technology [to handle them].” INQ