House panel OKs bill synchronizing Metro Manila governing rules

The House committee on Metro Manila Development has approved a draft substitute bill seeking to synchronize the rules governing the entire capital region in a bid to improve the delivery of services to the public.

The still-unnumbered bill aims to enhance the effectiveness of the Metro Manila Council in coming up with policies, regulations, rules and laws for Metro Manila, which amends RA 7924, otherwise known as "An Act Creating The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Defining Its Powers And Functions, Providing Funds Therefor And For Other Purposes."

The Metro Manila Council serves as the governing board and policy-making body of the MMDA, comprising of city and municipality mayors.

Under the bill, Section 1 of RA 7924, titled Declaration of Policy, is sought to be amended, which declares as a policy of the State to treat Metropolitan Manila as a special development and administrative region under the direct supervision of the Philippine President.

At the same time, the bill seeks to amend Section 5 of RA 7924 titled Functions and Powers of the MMDA, in order for the agency to also undertake and manage its own metro-wide programs and projects for the delivery of specific services within its jurisdiction, adopt and execute ordinances and other regulations under its mandate.

The measure likewise adds a new Section 6-A to RA 7924 titled Metro Manila Council Ordinance, providing that the duly approved and ratified ordinance from the Metro Manila Council is binding to all cities and municipalities of Metro Manila and will be enforced in the region.

The new section also states that the approval and ratification of an ordinance should be done strictly in accordance with the following:

• Any member of the Metro Manila Council, or the Sanggunian of any city or municipality, may propose to the Metro Manila Council any relevant matter that falls within the mandate of the MMDA which necessitates an ordinance to address or resolve
• The members of the Metro Manila Council shall coordinate and consult with their respective local government units and offices and the public to determine that the matter presented to the Metro Manila Council is relevant and of metro-wide application and present the result of the consultation to the Metro Manila Council, which may opt to form a technical working group as it deems necessary on issues arising from the consultations
• After due and diligent consultations and deliberations, the Metro Manila Council shall vote on the proposal and approve it by the majority vote of its voting members
• If the vote is in favor of the proposal, the Metro Manila Council shall present it to the Sanggunian of each city/municipality government unit for its approval or disapproval. If the vote is not favorable, the Metro Manila Council shall archive it for future reference
• After the receipt of the proposal, the Sanggunian shall either approve or disapprove the proposed ordinance in toto without any amendment
• Within thirty working days from the receipt of the proposal, the Sanggunian shall submit to the Metro Manila Council its resolution expressing the approval or disapproval on the proposed ordinance
• The failure of the Sanggunian to submit its resolution within the required period is considered as an approval of the concerned Sanggunian
• The Metro Manila Council shall determine if the proposed ordinance is approved by the majority of the Sanggunian units
• If the proposed ordinance is approved, the Metro Manila Council shall ratify the approved ordinance by the majority vote of all its voting members. If the proposed ordinance is is disapproved, the Metro Manila Council shall determine and settle the issues concerning its disapproval
• Within seven days from the ratification of the ordinance, the Metro Manila Council shall post the ordinance in the bulletin boards and any conspicuous places in the MMDA offices and city or municipal halls in Metro Manila as well as in their websites or official electronic pages. If the ordinance carries penal sanctions, it must be published in two newspapers of general circulation
• The duly approved and ratified ordinance shall take effect 15 days after its posting or publication. However, this period may be shortened in exceptional/emergency cases necessitating earlier implementation

—ALG, GMA News