(Eagle News)–Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto is backing more funds for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to enable it to have an “active night brigade.”
In a statement, Recto said the “round-the-clock and rain-or-shine” supervision of the MMDA personnel will help address the worsening congestion in Metro Manila, and the increasing number of road accidents.
“Sa loob ng nakaraang limang taon, 11,530 na sasakyan ang nadagdag kada buwan. Ito yung mga registered sa NCR. Hindi pa kasama yung mula sa Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, na regular na pumaparine sa Metro Manila,” he said.
He said according to MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago, so far, the MMDA has in its payroll 2000 traffic enforcers, 5000 short of the 7000 it needs.
In 2018, he said the MMDA was given P3.688 billion in that year’s national budget, and received P3.636 billion in mandatory contributions from its member towns and cities.
“Pero kasama dito ang flood control, dredging ng mga estero, operation ng pumping stations, traffic light systems, emergency response at iba pang gawain sa isang megapolis na isa sa pinakamatao sa buong mundo,” Recto said.
If government rules bar MMDA from using its internally generated income, “then it must be allowed to tap a portion of the P168 million it collects in traffic and littering fines annually–specifically for the hiring of more personnel,” Recto said.
But the best solution, he said, is to increase the funds it receives from the national government through the General Appropriations Act.
The hiring of more traffic management personnel should be made a priority, he said.
