Acting Chairman Thomas Orbos of the Metro Manila Development Authority is looking to develop a three-hectare government property along the stretch of Roxas Boulevard in Parañaque City, which he said could be converted into several possibilities.
“We used our drone the other week, the intention was to look for waterways and we discovered this area, which is very valuable to the point that we can covert it to decongest Roxas Boulevard,” Orbos said. “We can convert it to another roadway, a commercial, bike lane or can even solve [other] problems in Baclaran, [like] the perennial problem on vendors,” said Orbos.
The problem is, commercial establishments currently occupy the area, said Orbos. The property is a lane that’s more than a kilometer long and 20 meters wide, parallel to the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard.
“But this area is ours because the MMDA has the mandate to own waterways,” he said of the property, which then-MMDA chairman and current Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando had renovated.
“It is a parallel road between Roxas Boulevard and buildings. The waterway, it is under the supervision of MMDA. I can convert this into a road, bike lane, parking or commercial area,” Orbos said.
“We have to determine its weight capacity if it can accommodate vehicles, but the first step is to claim it, it is a government property under the supervision of the MMDA,” he added.
Orbos said his agency is now preparing letters to be sent to operators and owners of commercial establishments occupying the areas to inform them of the government’s plan.
Orbos already informed Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez about their discovery of the property.
“They are very much in favor [of the MMDA plan]. The next step is to write these private entities encroaching on our land,” Orbos said.
The MMDA chief admitted the drone surveillance was only intended to find alternate routes for motorists and ease traffic in the metropolis.
“But we accidentally discovered this lot. What we will do now is to fight for our rights. With or without the emergency powers, this is a totally separate issue. Encroaching is a different matter, but it has to go through the process of writing them (establishment owners),” he said.
The MMDA is open to suggestions and partnerships with the private sector that would want to help the agency in its mandate, including finding solutions to traffic, urban planning, public safety and the flooding in Metro Manila
“We are continuously encouraging them to engage the agency about their concepts and technological solutions. We know that there are individuals and groups out there who are willing to help the government,” Orbos said.