Solon threatens to slash MMDA budget

Valenzuela City Rep. Magtanggol "Magi" Gunigundo I threatened to slash yesterday the P2-billion budget of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) unless its chairman, Bayani Fernando, satisfactorily can fully explain where the agency’s allocation went.

Gunigundo, who has consistently pushed for the abolition of the MMDA, vowed to scrutinize the budget, which he described as "too much for an agency without tangible accomplishments."

"If he can explain to us how the public funds were spent, that would be fine. He should be able to convince us, or else I will personally push for the slashing of its budget by as much as half," Gunigundo said.

The lawmaker noted that he and most of his colleagues, some 27 of them comprising the so-called NCR (National Capital Region) bloc, will not let Fernando get away with his "politics of perception and propaganda" at the expense of the people’s money.

"He has a lot of explaining to do as far as the MMDA budget is concerned," Gunigundo said.

The congressman added he wants the MMDA to be replaced by a coordinating body with a zero budget, which he wants to be named the National Capital Region Development Council (NCRDC).

He cited reports of alleged excessive hiring of personnel as traffic enforcers and consultants as well as the purchase of firearms instead of focusing on the more critical problems like garbage disposal.

Gunigundo, a member of the House appropriations committee, said he will give Fernando a chance to justify the MMDA budget during the hearings. – Jerry Botial