The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority stands as a pivotal government agency in the Philippines, entrusted with the crucial responsibility of administering the regional governance of Metro Manila.
Operating under the direct supervision of the Office of the President of the Philippines, this vibrant metropolis encompasses the capital city of Manila, along with the dynamic cities of Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas, and San Juan, alongside the municipality of Pateros.
In this article, we will delve into the history of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, explore job opportunities within the agency, and provide insight into its crucial role in the development and governance of Metro Manila.
Keep on reading to gain a comprehensive understanding of the MMDA’s significance and impact.
Table of Contents
Job Opportunities:
Discover a range of diverse roles within the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and explore opportunities in other government agencies,.
Join their dedicated team committed to enhancing the quality of life in Metro Manila, ensuring efficient city management, and fostering sustainable urban development.
Each position at the MMDA and other government agencies presents a unique opportunity to contribute significantly to the region’s growth and resilience.
Explore each role by clicking on the respective job title and take the first step toward a meaningful and rewarding career, whether you’re an experienced professional or an enthusiastic newcomer.
History of MMDA:
On November 7, 1975, President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 824, creating Metro Manila and its managing public corporation, the Metropolitan Manila Commission (MMC). A successful referendum on February 27, 1975, approved the creation of Metro Manila.
This pivotal move consolidated Manila and Quezon City with two cities and twelve municipalities of Rizal and one municipality of Bulacan, designating Metro Manila as the national capital region.
Marcos appointed First Lady Imelda Marcos as governor and Ismael Mathay Jr. as vice governor. The MMC became defunct on January 9, 1990, replaced by the Metropolitan Manila Authority (MMA).
The next evolution occurred in 1995 when the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was created under Republic Act No. 7924.
This Act made the chairman independent of Metro Manila mayors, signaling a shift in governance structure.
In August 2017, the MMDA underwent an image overhaul by adopting the use of a black beret for its traffic enforcers, aiming to enhance public perception.
On May 23, 2022, President Rodrigo Duterte inaugurated the new MMDA headquarters in Ugong, Pasig, showcasing a modernized and strategic operational base.
Transport and Traffic Management
The MMDA once operated TV and radio stations, including MMDA Traffic Radio 1206 and MMDA TV.
These were discontinued on August 17, 2010. The agency then shifted to social media platforms such as Twitter to disseminate real-time traffic updates.
Additionally, live billboards, especially along EDSA, became a prominent feature. The MMDA also launched a mobile application for iOS and Android, offering a direct channel for traffic updates.
Since 2014, the MMDA took over the mothballed Pasig River ferry system in anticipation of significant traffic disruptions during major construction projects.
The agency revived and expanded this water-based transportation system, increasing ridership by offering discounts to students and senior citizens, eventually making the service entirely free of charge.
The MMDA remains committed to operating the ferry service until a private investor takes over.
Since 2003, the MMDA has implemented a No Contact Apprehension Policy, leveraging traffic enforcement cameras and closed-circuit television to apprehend traffic violators without the need for on-site traffic enforcers.
To alleviate traffic congestion on main roads in Metro Manila, the MMDA, under Chairman Francis Tolentino, launched Christmas Lanes in 2014, designating 17 alternative routes for motorists during the Christmas season.
These lanes were later renamed Mabuhay Lanes and marked year-round, providing alternative routes with strict parking restrictions to ensure smooth traffic flow.
The MMDA is tasked with clearing obstructions from roads at all times. Daily clearing operations are conducted against stalled and illegally parked vehicles, with subcontracted towing companies facilitating the removal of vehicles.
Primary and secondary roads, unless with designated parking areas, are considered “No-Parking-Zones.”
Starting from Bayani Fernando’s term, there has been a significant increase in the construction of footbridges across Metro Manila.
While lauded for providing safe passage for pedestrians, especially in risky areas, these footbridges have faced criticism for their lack of accessibility to people with disabilities (PWDs), posing dangers with steep steps, slippery surfaces, and poor lighting.
The MMDA, under Bayani Fernando, implemented a “no left-turn” scheme in the early 2000s along several major roads in Metro Manila.
This scheme prohibited motor vehicle traffic from turning left at intersections, requiring them to make a U-turn at designated U-turn slots and make a right turn afterward.
These U-turn slots were designed to mimic the Michigan left turn design. While controversial due to longer travel times and difficulties in navigating, some U-turn slots have been retained along major roads.
A short-lived initiative was the introduction of pink urinals by Bayani Fernando, prominently implemented in Marikina to address public urination. However, these urinals have since been removed.
The MMDA operates and maintains several pumping stations across Metro Manila to mitigate flooding risks, especially during inclement weather.
Old pumping stations using diesel engines were upgraded in 2015 to use electric motors. As part of the flood mitigation program, new pumping stations are being constructed in flood-prone areas.
Since Bayani Fernando’s tenure, the Estero Blitz (Waterway Blitz) became an annual waterway clearing operation with an emphasis on river dredging activities, particularly in flood-prone areas. This clearing operation is usually conducted during the dry summer season.
The Gwapotel Inn, a cheap hotel run by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, provided affordable accommodation.
The Gwapotel along Roxas Boulevard was renamed the MMDA Workers Inn and operated until 2017. The Abad Santos Gwapotel has been converted into their training barracks.
The Court of Appeals declared that the MMDA is not among the government agencies deputized to implement RA 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. This decision invalidated MMDA Resolution No. 11-19, the basis for its anti-smoking campaign.
On July 30, 2015, the MMDA spearheaded the first metro-wide earthquake drill to prepare the public for a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.
This drill involved various government agencies, educational institutions, and the private sector, simulating different scenarios to enhance preparedness.
In the pursuit of creating a visually appealing metropolis, the MMDA has faced criticism for its treatment of Metro Manila’s urban poor, with advocacy groups claiming that these communities are often treated like ‘rubbish’ on the streets.
A report from PREDA, funded by UNICEF, cited inhumane proceedings in the apprehension of vagrants.
In October 2018, the MMDA constructed a 10-meter-high steel pedestrian footbridge near the EDSA-Kamuning intersection in Quezon City.
The project, contracted to BF Corporation, owned by former MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando, drew attention on social media due to its perceived height and steepness as it crossed over the MRT-3’s tracks.
The MMDA defended the design, stating it aimed to deter jaywalking. The footbridge was slightly redesigned in November 2018 to include an additional landing, addressing concerns about steepness.
In June 2022, the footbridge gained renewed attention on social media, with the consul general of the Netherlands criticizing its design.
The MMDA is a linchpin in the planning, monitoring, and coordination of functions that span the entirety of Metro Manila.
In executing its mandate, the agency wields regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of metro-wide services, all while respecting the autonomy of local government units in matters exclusive to their jurisdictions.
The MMDA is a chairman, appointed by the President of the Philippines, who holds office at the President’s discretion.
Endowed with the rank, rights, privileges, disqualifications, and prohibitions akin to a cabinet member, the chairman steers the agency in its role as a facilitator of development and governance in the bustling heart of the nation.
Vision:
“TOWARDS A HUMANE WORLD – CLASS METROPOLIS”
Mission:
“As a humane metropolis, Metropolitan Manila will become a livable and workable physical environment for all.
As a global – oriented metropolis, Metropolitan Manila will evolve into major business and transaction center in the Asia – Pacific region.
As a center of a growth polygon for Luzon Island, Metropolitan Manila will influence the creation of a socio – economic opportunities in the areas beyond its political and administrative boundaries.”
Mandate:
Metro-wide services under the jurisdiction of the MMDA are those with a significant impact across the entire Metro Manila, cutting across local political boundaries or requiring substantial expenditures that aren’t practical for individual Local Government Units (LGUs) within Metropolitan Manila.
These services include:
- Development Planning:
- Preparation of medium and long-term development plans
- Evaluation and packaging of projects
- Investment programming
- Coordination and monitoring of plan, program, and project implementation
- Transport and Traffic Management:
- Formulation, coordination, and monitoring of policies, standards, programs, and projects for rationalizing transport operations
- Infrastructure requirements
- Safe and convenient movement of persons and goods
- Mass transport system provision
- Regulation of road users
- Administration and implementation of traffic enforcement operations, engineering services, and education programs
- Institution of a single ticketing system
- Solid Waste Disposal and Management:
- Formulation and implementation of policies, standards, programs, and projects for proper waste disposal
- Establishment and operation of sanitary landfills
- Implementation of alternative programs for waste reduction, reuse, and recycling
- Flood Control and Sewerage Management:
- Formulation and implementation of policies, standards, programs, and projects for an integrated flood control, drainage, and sewerage system
- Urban Renewal, Zoning, and Land Use Planning, and Shelter Services:
- Formulation, adoption, and implementation of policies, standards, rules, and regulations
- Programs and projects for rationalizing urban land use
- Providing direction to urban growth and expansion
- Rehabilitation and development of slum and blighted areas
- Development of shelter and housing facilities
- Provision of necessary social services
- Health and Sanitation, Urban Protection, and Pollution Control:
- Formulation and implementation of policies, rules, regulations, standards, programs, and projects for promoting health and sanitation
- Safeguarding the region’s health
- Enhancing ecological balance
- Prevention, control, and abatement of environmental pollution
- Public Safety:
- Formulation and implementation of programs, policies, and procedures for achieving public safety
- Preparedness for preventive or rescue operations during calamities and disasters
- Coordination and mobilization of resources
- Implementation of contingency plans for rehabilitation and relief operations in coordination with national agencies concerned
Functions and Powers of the Metro Manila Development Authority
The MMDA shall:
1. Formulate, coordinate, and regulate the implementation of medium and long-term plans and programs for metro-wide services, land use, and physical development within Metropolitan Manila, consistent with national development objectives and priorities.
2. Prepare, coordinate, and regulate the implementation of medium-term investment programs for metro-wide services, indicating sources and uses of funds for priority programs and projects.
3. Undertake and manage metro-wide programs and projects for specific services under its jurisdiction, subject to the approval of the Council.
4. Coordinate and monitor the implementation of plans, programs, and projects in Metro Manila, identifying bottlenecks and adopting solutions to implementation problems.
5. Set policies concerning traffic in Metro Manila, coordinating and regulating the implementation of all programs and projects concerning traffic management.
6. Install and administer a single ticketing system, impose and collect fines and penalties for traffic violations, and enforce all traffic laws and regulations in Metro Manila.
7. Perform other related functions required to achieve the objective of the MMDA, including the undertaking of delivering basic services to local government units, when necessary and subject to prior coordination and consent.
Organizational Structure:
Understanding the organizational structure is crucial for grasping the dynamics and hierarchy within any institution.
In the case of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), exploring its organizational structure provides insights into how responsibilities are distributed, decisions are made, and key functions are managed.
Let’s dive into the framework that shapes the MMDA’s operations and effectiveness. This organizational structure can be further visualized in the image below.
Divisions
- Highway Patrol Division (Part of the Traffic Enforcement Division)*
- Road Emergency Group
- Traffic Enforcement Division
- Traffic Engineering Center
- Towing Services
- Metro Manila Council
Note: The Highway Patrol Division is also a part of the Traffic Enforcement Division.
Metro Manila Council
The governing board and policy-making body of the MMDA is the Metro Manila Council, consisting of the mayors of the cities and municipalities within Metro Manila.
Additionally, non-voting members include the heads of the following government departments or their duly authorized representatives:
- Department of Transportation (DOTr)
- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
- Department of Tourism (DOT)
- Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
- Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD)
- Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO)
Roles and Functions of the Metro Manila Council:
- Policy-Making: The council serves as the policy-making body of the MMDA.
- Approval Authority: It approves metro-wide plans, programs, and projects.
- Legislation: The council issues rules, regulations, and resolutions deemed necessary by the MMDA.
- Financial Oversight:
- Approves the annual budget of the MMDA for submission to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
- Determines the compensation of MMDA officers and personnel.
- Has the authority to increase allowances and per diems during the term of the succeeding Council.
- Metro-Wide Governance: The council promulgates rules and regulations, sets policies and standards for metro-wide application, and governs the delivery of basic services.
- Fee Management: It prescribes and collects service and regulatory fees.
- Enforcement: The council imposes and collects fines and penalties in line with metro-wide rules and regulations.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) stands as a pivotal government agency, entrusted with the crucial responsibility of administering the regional governance of Metro Manila.
Its diverse role encompasses vital areas such as development planning, traffic management, solid waste disposal, flood control, and more.
At the helm of the MMDA is a chairman appointed by the President of the Philippines, reflecting the agency’s significance in the nation’s development and governance.
As we’ve explored the agency’s history, functions, and impact on the dynamic metropolis, it becomes evident that the MMDA plays a central role in shaping the present and future of Metro Manila.
The collaboration of the Metro Manila Council, composed of mayors and key government representatives, underscores the collective effort in steering the region towards sustainable growth and development.
For those eager to contribute to the development and governance of Metro Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority presents unique opportunities.
As a vital player in the metropolitan landscape, the MMDA offers diverse career paths in areas such as traffic management, engineering, emergency response, urban planning, and more.
Disclaimer:
The Philippine Go does not collect fees and is not a hiring agency, nor is it related to any hiring agency for employment abroad.
All information contained here is solely for informational purposes and rightfully belongs to its rightful owner.
Attached in the last section of the content are references for further verification, if needed. Read more
Reference:
1. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. (n.d.). Mandates and Functions. Retrieved from [https://mmda.gov.ph/transparency/mandates-and-functions.html]
2. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority – Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Manila_Development_Authority]