MMDA chief says no politics in personally directing traffic 

 

Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino said there was no politics involved when he personally directed traffic in Mandaluyong on Wednesday.

 

A report on GMA News' 24 Oras said Tolentino invited media to cover him directing traffic early morning on Wednesday.

 

But Tolentino insisted that this should not be given any political color as he has been doing this since 2011.

 

Earlier, an online petition on Change.org was set up calling for his resignation for failure to address the traffic problems in Metro Manila, the report said.

 

As of 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the petition has been signed by 2,261 supporters.

 

The petition quoted a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study in July 2013, which showed that the country loses P2.6 billion daily due to traffic in Metro Manila.

 

"It is now 2015, and MMDA still has no concrete solution to our traffic woes and misery," the petition read. "In fact our traffic problems have worsened."

 

"An office worker has to spend at least 4 hours in traffic everyday if he lives in Quezon City and works in Makati," it added. "Normally it should take him 30 minutes to commute."

 

The petition also slammed Tolentino for being "busy joining sorties, [while] we are left to fend for ourselves in the traffic."

 

Tolentino was present at a Liberal Party event in Cebu, where President Benigno Aquino III announced the MMDA chairman's plans of running for Senate.

 

Tolentino has yet to respond when asked to comment on the issue, the report added.

 

But Malacañang has defended Tolentino, saying the MMDA chairman still fulfills his duties.

 

The head of the MMDA's Traffic Discipline Office, Atty. Chris Saruca, also defended Tolentino, saying he was not prematurely campaigning. —Amanda Fernandez/JST, GMA News