Solon hits MMDA for its pink signs

MANILA, Philippines - Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez on Tuesday hit Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando anew for allegedly violating international and his agency’s own rules with the proliferation of pink road and traffic signs. In text message sent to reporters, Golez said international color standards for road and traffic signs state that pink signs are for incident management warning like typhoons, emergency shelters, and civil defense warnings. But the MMDA used the color pink in road signs "which, per international standards, should instead be red with white signs," Golez said. To prove his point, Golez even cited MMDA regulation 04-04 dated Sept. 2, 2004 and signed by Fernando which states that "all traffic signs to be installed in all streets of Metro Manila whether local or national roads, shall conform to the international standards as to design." "Therefore, the MMDA, in using pink road and traffic signs, violates their own rules," the Parañaque lawmaker said. "I believe the MMDA chairman is imposing his whimsical and capricious taste for the color pink in pursuit of his political agenda and in violation of his own MMDA rule, in the process uglifying Metro Manila," he reiterated. He stressed that the message, "Kaayusan: Mga Batas ay Alamin at Sundin," printed on MMDA’s tarpaulins should be directed to Fernando himself. GMANews.TV called Fernando’s office at MMDA to get the chairman’s comments on Golez’s latest tirade but was told that he (Fernando) was still out of the country and expected to return next week. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV