Tolentino backs initiatives of MMDA chair Danny Lim

Newly-appointed presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino on Friday expressed support for current Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairperson Danilo Lim.

"Tama 'yung ginagawang pagsita sa mga lumalabag sa alituntunin tungkol sa mga bus terminals. If you recall, ako 'yung nagtayo nung Southwest Bus Terminal noon dahil ang konsepto talaga, maging centralized 'yan," former MMDA chairperson Tolentino said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita.

"So I fully support the initiatives of chairman Danny Lim. Tulungan na lang natin sila and I wish them all the best," he added.

The MMDA early this year started to issue traffic tickets to provincial buses that violate the "nose-in, nose-out" policy at bus terminals along EDSA.

Tolentino, as MMDA chair, relaunched the Pasig River Ferry System as an alternate mode of public transportation, implemented the South-West Integrated Provincial Transport System (SWIPTS) which consolidated all existing 85 terminals, and conducted the first Metro Manila Shake Drill.

The former MMDA chair said he also supports the infrastructure project of the Duterte administration which involves 38 projects worth more than P1 trillion.

"Balikan natin 'yung simula. Hindi naman naaprubahan 'yung emergency powers 'di ba? Tama itong tinatahak na more on infra. Makipag-cooperate na lang tayo sa pangkasalukuyang pamunuan ng MMDA," he said.

Tolentino was appointed to the Office of the Political Adviser on June 27. He will hold the same post that former President Benigno Aquino III's presidential adviser on political affairs, Ronald Llamas, last held. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG/KVD, GMA News