GOVERNOR OF NCR? | Salceda bats for Metro Manila central government to fix ‘disunited’ policies

June 1, 2022 , 05:35 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(June 1, 2022) – A lawmaker on Tuesday proposed the creation of a central government in charge of Metro Manila, similar to the now-defunct office led by former first lady Imelda Marcos, in hopes of addressing the “disunited” policies in the sprawling region.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, who heads the ways and means committee, wants to enact into law a governor’s office that will oversee all of the localities in the National Capital Region (NCR) to centralize the transportation, urban development and planning, and other policies.

“Let’s just set it as the NCR Commission or province is in charge of all roads in NCR that are not municipal or city roads,” said Salceda in a press release. “Let’s make the NCR governor an elected official so that they are more responsive to the needs of the people.”

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) already oversees the capital region. But its head is appointed by the president rather than elected by the public.

One of the problems in NCR’s policies cited by Salceda includes the controversial daytime provincial bus ban in EDSA last April, noting that both the MMDA and the Department of Transportation denied implementing the rule.

He also noted that NCR officials frequently struggle to maximize coordination when responding to natural disasters as the agencies involved face difficulties figuring out who will be accountable.

“Whether we admit it or not, whether we like it or not, much of the country’s commerce passes through NCR. So, when NCR doesn’t get its policy right, everybody else also suffers,” said Salceda.

Salceda added that the MMDA held limited powers that prevented former chairperson Benhur Abalos, who’s now set to lead the Department of the Interior and Local Government, from addressing all of the region’s problems, although he did not elaborate.

The MMDA traces its origins to the Metropolitan Manila Commission, a public corporation created in 1975 by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. He appointed his wife to lead it as the first governor of Metro Manila.

This was replaced by the Metropolitan Manila Authority in 1990 under the late former President Cory Aquino, composed of the mayors of Manila who would choose the chairperson among themselves. Aquino’s successor, former President Fidel Ramos, replaced this with the MMDA led by an official separate from NCR’s local government units.

Salceda hopes President-elect Bongbong Marcos Jr. could also revisit the Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project, which only functioned from 1976 to 1977, to see what actions can be taken to improve NCR’s role in distributing development to the provinces.

“Governing NCR as one political entity, as opposed to just an administrative division, will help both NCR residents and provinces like those in Bicol, which, for better or worse, depend on an efficiently-governed NCR for much of its trade, commerce, and transportation,” said Salceda.

(PM)

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