Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

ENTH (17") CONGRESS
st Regular Sessiom

Introduced by: HON. JOSE L. ATTEN:

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

This bill secks the creation of the Metropolitan Manila Government, in lieu of the
existing Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

For several decades now, the MMDA has not been as responsive as needed in addressing
the pressing concerns of the residents of Metro Manila, particularly those of the perennial traffic
and peace and order, which take a heavy toll on the area’s economy and development. The
current MMDA Chairman merely coordinates ~ when the agency should be concerned with
planning, development and delivery of services

Under the present setup, the MMDA Chairman is appointed by the President, while the
members of the Metro Manila Council are all elected mayors of the 16 cities and | municipality
With this bill, instead of having an appointed Chairman, the Metro Manila Government is to be
composed of a Governor and Vice Governor both elected by Metro Manilans themselves, as well
as the duly-elected Mayors. As such, they will be accountable to the people and not just to the
person who appointed them, An elected Governor would also be more sensitive to what needs to
be done, ensuring a better, more effective working relationship with the Mayors.

Mega-cities like New York and Tokyo ~ which have Governors elected by|the people --
used to have traffic problems like ours but they were able to manage effectively wifh a Governor
elected by and accountable to the people.

BUHAY Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17') CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

House Bill No.4 758

Introduced by: Representative Jose L. Atienza, Jr.

AN ACT CREATING THE METROPOLITAN MANILA GOVERNMENT

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled

WHEREAS, Metro Manila was created as a public corporation under
Presidential Decree No. 824 and therefore has a legal personality akin to that of the
province, city or municipality;

WHEREAS, it is generally perceived that the present Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) has not been particularly responsive in
addressing the pressing concerns of the people of Metropolitan Manila;

WHEREAS, the reason has been traced in part to the fact that the executive
officers implementing the agency’s policies and programs have not been elected
directly by the people and, therefore, have no direct accountability to the
constituency of Metropolitan Manila;



, while the members of the Metro Manila Council, except the
Chairman, are elected officials, they were not so elected to perform primarily the
functions, duties and responsibilities of the MMDA;

WHEREAS, to make the agency more attuned to the needs of the people of
Metropolitan Manila, the officers composing such body should have a direct
mandate from Metropolitan Manila’s electorate.

Wherefore:

Section 1. Creation of the Metropolitan Manila Government. — There is
hereby constituted a Metropolitan Manila Government (MMG) to take the place of
the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) created under Republic
Act 7924. The MMG shall the same jurisdiction, powers, functions, duties and
responsibilities as the MMDA under Republic Act 7924 and shall assume,
takeover, perform and exercise all such powers, functions, duties and
responsibilities of the MMDA upon the effectivity of this Act.

Section 2. Organization. - The MMG shall be composed of a governor,
vice-governor and the Metropolitan Manila Council (MMC). The governor, vice-
governor and members of the MMC shall be elected by the people at large within
Metropolitan Manila embracing the cities of Caloocan, Manila, Mandaluyong,
Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Malabon, Marikina,
Navotas, Paranaque, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela and the municipality of Pateros:
Provided, that members of the MMC shall be elected from each of the
congressional district within Metropolitan Manila: Provided finally, that each
congressional district shall only have one (1) representative

Section 3. Term of Office. — The governor, vice-governor and members of
the MMC, whose elections shall be synchronized with the local and national
elections, shall have a term of three (3) years and shall be entitled to hold office for
three (3) consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of
time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for
the full term for which he was elected;

Section 4. The Governor and Vice-Governor. — No person shall be elected
as governor or vice-governor unless he is a Filipino citizen, at least thirty-five (35)
years of age on the day of the election, able to read and write and a resident of



Metropolitan Manila for
election.

t least one (1) year immediately preceding the day of the

The governor shall have the same functions, duties and responsibilities as
the chairman under Republic Act 7924, except that he shall not p de over the
meetings of the MMC. The vice-governor, on the other hand, shall have the same
functions, duties and responsibilities as the general manager under Republic Act
7924, and in addition, shall act as the presiding officer of the MMC but shall vote
only to break a tie. In the event of the inability of the vice-governor to preside over
the session of the MMC, the members present and constituting a quorum shall elect
from among themselves a temporary presiding offi

In case of permanent vacancy in the office of the governor or vice-governor,
the rule on succession provided under Section 44, Chapter 2, Title II, Book I of
Republic Act 7160 shall be observed. In case of permanent vacancy in the MMi
the vacant position shall be filled by appointment to be made by the President,
through the Executive Secretary, from among the nominees made by the political
party under which the member who caused the vacancy ran and was elected. The
appointee shall serve only the unexpired term of the vacant office. A permanent
vacancy arises when an elective official fills a higher vacant office, refuses to
assume office, fails to qualify, dies, is removed from office, voluntarily resigns, or
is otherwise permanently incapacitated to discharge the functions of his office.

In case of temporary vacancy in the office of the governor, the rule provided
under Section 46, Chapter 2, Title II, Book I of Republic Act 7160 shall be
observed.

Leaves of absence of the governor, vice-governor and members of the MMC
shall be governed by the applicable rules provided under Section 47, Chapter 2,
Title Il, Book I of Republic Act 7160.

Section 5. The Metropolitan Manila Council. ~ The MMC shall have the
same jurisdiction, powers and functions as the Metro Manila Council under
Republic Act 7924. The heads of the Department of Transportation (DOTr),
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Tourism
(DOT), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), National Economie and
Development Authority (NEDA), Housing and Urban Development Coordinating
Committee (HUDCC), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) or their duly


authorized representatives, shall attend the meetings of the MMC as non-voting
members,

The MMC shall, within sixty (60) days from the cons
MMG under this Act, adopt its own internal rules of procedure.

itution of the first

ernment. ~ The President shall
same manner that the President
ly over the provinces, highly urbanized cities and

Section 6, Supervision by the National Ge
direct supervision over the MMG in the
es supervisory authori
independent component cities.

exerci

Section 7. Repealing Clause. — The pertinent provisions of Republic Act
7924, and all laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, rules and
regulations, or part or parts thereof which are inconsistent with any of the
provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified or repealed.

Section 8. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is
held unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions thereof which are not
affected shall continue to remain in full force and effect.

Section 9. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following completion of its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general

circulation.

Approved,