Tolentino snubs House pre-plenary hearing on MMDA’s 2016 budget

MANILA, Philippines – After coming under fire over a controversial event in Laguna last week, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino was a no-show at the pre-plenary conference for his agency’s proposed 2016 budget at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 6.

Asked to explain Tolentino’s absence, MMDA general manager Corazon Jimenez told lawmakers that Tolentino did not attend because he had intended to resign from his post.

Tolentino earlier announced his plans to run for a Senate seat in next year’s polls.

The answer did not sit well with Gabriela Representative Emmi de Jesus, who said she had wanted to grill Tolentino over the “twerking” scandal at a birthday party attended by Liberal Party (LP) members last week.

The MMDA chief drew flak for allegedly hiring an all-girls group to perform at the birthday party of Laguna Representative Benjamin Agarao. The controversial performance, where the girls gyrated and twerked onstage with male audience members, was held after the oath taking of new members of the LP.

Tolentino denied that he brought the girls to the event, but this has not stopped women’s groups and other sectors from criticizing Tolentino, even calling for his exclusion from the LP’s senatorial slate. (READ: Will Francis Tolentino still be in LP Senate slate?)

It didn’t help that the the girls’ group had a post on its Facebook page that Tolentino hired them in 2013 for his brother’s congressional campaign in Cavite. (READ: Playgirls: Tolentino got us for his brothers’ campaign)

During the hearing, De Jesus asked MMDA officials to explain how the agency uses its Gender and Development (GAD) budget, which comprises 5% of the MMDA’s budget.

Jimenez said the agency had been using its GAD budget to improve footbridges to ensure that women using these bridges won’t be peeped at from below.

She added that the MMDA also conducts gender sensitivity training for its personnel.

To this, De Jesus asked if Tolentino has also attended the training. Jimenez however said she couldn’t answer on Tolentino’s behalf.

She also declined to answer when pressed by De Jesus to make a stand on Tolentino’s actions at the controversial event.

“It’s not something we talked about among ourselves…. I haven’t been able to talk to Chairman Tolentino ever since it happened,” Jimenez added.

Traffic management measures

For 2016, the MMDA is requesting a budget of P1.961 billion for its projects on traffic management, flood control, and solid waste management.

The funds will be allocated for the construction of footbridges and installation of solar powered lights, as well as the upgrading of traffic signalling systems on 50 intersections in Metro Manila.

During the hearing, Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone asked MMDA officials to outline their projects to improve the worsening traffic problems of the Philippines’ capital region. Metro Manila’s traffic jams, according to experts, cost the Philippines P2.4 billion a day in productivity losses.

Aside from digitizing traffic signalling systems, the agency is promoting the Pasig River Ferry as an alternative mode of transport, MMDA assistant general manager Emerson Carlos said.

Jimenez said there are currently 11 ferries that carry an average of 8,000 passengers a month. The agency has allocated P26 million to purchase 6 new boats, which are scheduled to be operational by October.

Carlos, however, conceded that the traffic problem is still difficult to manage. He noted that out of 8 million registered vehicles nationwide, 2.5 million are in Metro Manila.

He added that an estimated 2 million people living outside Metro Manila travel into the city everyday. The volume of people, he said, cannot be adequately sustained by the capital region’s 5000-km road network. – Rappler.com