If government is serious on solving Metro Manila’s traffic woes, it should begin by increasing the budget of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to improve the wages of the 3,000 traffic enforcers it employs.
This was pointed out by House Minority Leader and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., who on Wednesday told House reporters that the Minority was pushing for additional funds for the MMDA as it “has to deal with monumental challenges, one of which is Metro Manila’s deteriorating traffic situation.”
“We hope that our pleas to increase the budget of the MMDA find receptive ears among our colleagues in the Majority.”
“Despite the supposed urgency of this problem, the MMDA’s budget was cut by P7.61 billion and now must do with only P4.11 billion,” lamented Abante.
According to the legislator, the huge cut “affects the P697 million budget meant for the salary increases of the MMDA’s 8,000 employees.”
“This cut affects its 3,000 traffic enforcers the most, as they must survive on P9,000 a month, without benefits, without GSIS, without security of tenure.”
Abante said that during interpellation of the MMDA’s budget on Tuesday, he was shocked to learn that of the P9,000 MMDA traffic enforcers are paid, they only take home P8,000.
“That is not even minimum wage, and is a pittance—especially considering that they are tasked with the near-impossible job of managing traffic in Metro Manila,” stressed the lawmaker.
“Given that 75% of them are hired on job order basis and do not even earn minimum wage, how do we expect them to resist bribes from motorists? Hindi talaga makatarungan ang sitwasyon nila, and we hope that our pleas to increase the budget of the MMDA find receptive ears among our colleagues in the Majority,” added the solon.
Also during the interpellation of the MMDA’s budget, another member of the Minority, Marikina 1st District Rep. Bayani Fernando, urged the House to increase the budget of the MMDA.
The former MMDA chief suggested on Tuesday that the agency’s funds be augmented by funds from the Office of the President (OP), given that the MMDA is currently under the OP.