1-Rider Party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita (PPAB)

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita called out the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for its alleged unfair scheme of impounding repaired trucks that were earlier cited for violations.

During the plenary deliberations on the MMDA’s proposed P10.8 billion for 2025, Bosita criticized the agency over the “capability” of the five available towing vehicles under it.

“Dapat po ang MMDA, sa laki ng budget nila, dapat ‘yung kanilang towing truck ay may capability na hilahin ang trucks na nasisiraan,” he said.

(The MMDA should, with the size of their budget, their towing trucks should have the capability to pull the trucks that are broken down.)

Bosita, a member of the minority bloc, raised this as he pointed out that MMDA’s shortcomings were being blamed on the truck drivers.

“Tama po ba ‘yan sa guidelines ng MMDA na sa halip na hilahin, gawan ng paraan na maalis ‘yung stalled vehicle, titeketan, then babantayan ng MMDA officers. Kapag nagawa na bibigyan ng instruction ang driver imaneho, i-impound,” he said.

(Is that correct in the MMDA’s guidelines that instead of towing, or making a way to remove the stalled vehicle, they are ticketed, then are watched over by the MMDA officers. When the vehicle is repaired, the driver will be instructed to drive it, for impoundment.)

Bosita noted that this typically happens two to five days after a traffic enforcer cites the stalled truck for violations under “obstruction” and “stalled vehicle”.

He stressed that this was not an isolated case, but have actually been done “many times”.

“Walang public service po doon, kumbaga ‘yung mali ng ahensiya hindi na nga tinatama, ginagawang pabigat pa sa mga kababayan nating motorista,” the congressman added.

(There is no public service there, it seems that the faults of the agency are not being corrected, and instead turning it into a burden on our fellow motorists.)

Caloocan 2nd district Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy, the budget sponsor of the MMDA, assured Bosita that this supposed scheme was not a guideline or a policy of the agency.

After it was clarified that this was not a guideline, Bosita said: “In other words, ‘yan po ay pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan (that is an abuse of power)”.

Cajayon-Uy said the MMDA will commit to revising its towing policy to prevent such a scheme from resurfacing.

“May puso rin naman po ang MMDA, may simpatya sa driver…Rest assured po, talagang pagtutuunan ang guidelines,” she emphasized.

(The MMDA also has a heart, it has sympathy for drivers...Rest assured, a focused shall be placed on the guidelines).

Currently, the MMDA is planning to split up Metro Manila into five different sectors, where each sector is overseen by a towing company that will provide and manage the towing vehicles. 

Next year, the agency will add one more towing vehicle under its roof, specifically for loaded heavy vehicles.

“Ang kahilingan ko lang po magbigay ng commitment ng MMDA na sundin po ninyo ang guidelines para hindi maabuso ang kaawa-awang drivers na dumaranas niyan,” concluded Bosita.

(My only request is for the MMDA to give a commitment to follow the guidelines so that the poor drivers who are suffering from this will not be abused anymore.)