spot_img
28.4 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Yearender: Erap’s 10-point Manila plan

- Advertisement -

(Conclusion, continued from yesterday)

Apart from counting the gains of his administration after the first six months of his second term, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada also told Manila Standard his ten-point agenda for the city:

Peace and Order. Estrada wants to revive Manila’s Finest by a) supporting competent and honest members of the police force by giving them honors and rewards and releasing subsidies previously withheld from them; and b) removing “kotong” cops (who demand bribes) and other members of the police force who are of questionable character and those who are involved in crimes.

Health. The mayor wants to provide Manila’s residents with ample medicine and affordable health services by: a) developing and improving barangay health centers as primary health care service providers; b) ensuring that all poor and sick Manileños are given affordable and effective medicines. 

Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada

The city government will coordinate with the Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and other civic organizations to achieve its goals relating to health care, Estrada said.

- Advertisement -

Housing and Urban Settlement. Estrada aims to give legal and decent housing for the poor in Manila. He will a) allocate sufficient funds for housing within Manila, and b) construct mid-rise buildings for decent, sustainable and disaster-resilient human settlements, with cross-subsidies to poor beneficiaries through revenues from commercial land development.

Transportation and Traffic. The mayor seeks to fix and clean the roads, bridges and waterways of the city. He will a) develop Pasig River’s potential to provide an alternative mode of transportation in Manila and to serve as a tourist attraction; b) Regulate the activities of street vendors by designating an area for them, such as night markets, which will also serve as tourist attractions; and c) Implement a no-parking policy in the streets of Manila.

Cleanliness. Estrada aims to apply a better system of garbage collection and properly dispose of garbage. He wants to a) establish an effective Solid Waste Management System that will not only ensure regular garbage collection and proper waste disposal, but will also generate income for the City of Manila, and b) Implement a strict no-littering policy in the city.

Education. The goal is to make the city a center of academic excellence, so the mayor will a) provide good quality and competitive education to students by extending continuing education, seminars and training to teachers and by improving the teacher-student ratio in the city’s schools; b) select and appoint reputable, competent and qualified professionals to serve as trustees and deans of the city colleges and universities, and c) release the appropriate subsidies to city colleges and universities.

Sports. Estrada wants sports to flourish in Manila. To that end he will a) organize events and activities that will promote the city’s main sports (that is basketball and cue sports) to foster skills and value formation among the people; and b) transform and maintain the city’s well-known sports venues, such as the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the San Andres Gym, into world-class arenas.

Governance. The mayor wants to cut the city’s excess by a) removing all ghost employees of City Hall and prosecuting them, as well as those who are responsible for them; b) reducing the city government’s excessive number of consultants, casuals and job orders; and c) providing rewards and incentives to competent and reliable employees of the city government.

Transparency. Estrada wants to serve Manilenos faithfully. To that end he will a) promote regular evaluation of the performance of city officials, and publish its results; and b) put in place a computerized system of collection of taxes and disclosure of public expenditures.

People Participation. The mayor seeks the cooperation and help of the private sector by coordinating and keeping the channels of communication open between the city government and the private sector, such as non-government organizations, the city’s Chinese community and other private sector groups that promote public interests.

Other issues

But when sought about his political plans for the next elections, Estrada opted not to talk about it.   “Maybe it’s too early to talk about politics right now. We’ll talk about it when the right time comes,” he told the Standard.

Meanwhile, Estrada honored three government employees who discovered the improvised bomb planted near the United States Embassy, the street vendor who identified one of the suspects arrested in the foiled terrorist attack, and the policemen who diffused the bomb.

The discovery of the bomb “was probably Manila’s biggest accomplishment in their security to date,” the mayor said. 

Estrada gave Eli Balabagan, the street sweeper from the Department of Public Works and Highways, a P100,000 reward. Wenifreda Francisco and Maria Dolores Ostolano of the city’s Department of Public Services also received P50,00 each, as well as plaques, from the mayor.

Josie Camacho, the street vendor, also received P50,000 in cash and a plaque. She provided police with an eyewitness description of one of the suspects.

Estrada also honored SPO4 Emmanuel Fallaria, officer-in-charge of the MPD-Explosive Ordnance Division, and Chief Insp. Jay Dimaandal, chief of the Special Operations Unit, for responding at the scene, quickly disarming the explosive device and saving innocent lives. They also received P50,000.

Police said the IED, had it detonated, could have maimed or killed several people within a 100-meter radius. It consisted of an 81mm mortar round, a cellphone with a SIM card, a blasting cap and a nine-volt battery, like the one used in the September 2 bombing in Davao City that killed 15 people.

Estrada also cited Balabagan, Francisco, Ostolano, and Camacho as “the new heroes of the city of Manila.”

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles