MMDA needs traffic volunteers due to 15% reduction in 2015 budget

MMDA enforcer. Photo courtesy of MMDA’s official Facebook page.

MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it needs more volunteers to help man traffic especially during rush hours due to a 15 percent decrease in its budget next year.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency faces a 15-percent slash in its 2015 budget which could affect its traffic management and flood control projects.

“Malaki yun. Lahat sa (decrease by) 15%, sa traffic, flood control… Do more for less. Kaya kapag nakita niyong kulang ang tao namin sa traffic. Pero kakayanin pa rin namin. Pero may impact yun kahit papano (That is a considerable amount taken from our traffic and flood control programs. We will try to do more with less but the budget cut will somehow have an impact),” the MMDA chief explained.

He said that he will need volunteers to man rush hour traffic along major thoroughfares such as in Roxas Boulevard, Manila and Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

Last Friday, Tolentino personally volunteered as traffic enforcer to man the traffic along Katipunan Avenue.

Tolentino said their budget for 2014 was P2.

331 billion but it was cut down by 15 percent or P343 million, to P1.988 billion next year.

In the 2015 proposed budget, 84 drainage and waterways improvements, dredging, and declogging projects are in the pipeline as the MMDA aims to get flooding to subside within 40 minutes to an hour after heavy rains.

The MMDA also said that by 2015 it aims to improve the average vehicular traffic speed on major roads in Metro Manila from 29 to 33 kilometers per hour.

It also aims to cut down traffic-related accidents by 3 percent and improve its 15-minute response time to an accident.