NextGen Day

Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. resigned as chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday after more than a year in the position.

“I am quitting as Chairman of the MMDA with effect from the end of business hours on February 7, 2022.” In a press conference at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City, Abalos declared, “I have submitted my resignation letter to the President.”

Abalos will be the national campaign manager for presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., a former senator.

“The campaign season is rapidly approaching, and as Senator Bongbong Marcos’ national campaign manager, I will need to devote my attention to his campaign.” While I am deeply disappointed by this, I wish the agency continued success in all of its programs, projects, and initiatives aimed at improving the city,” Abalos stated.

MMDA General Manager Romando Artes was named as the agency’s officer-in-charge by Abalos, pending Malacaang’s appointment of the next MMDA chairman.

“GM Artes is a lawyer,” says the narrator. He’s an expert in everything. “However, let me emphasize that the President has the authority to choose the MMDA’s next chairman,” Abalos stated.

President Rodrigo Duterte was thanked by Abalos for the appointment. “I expressed my gratitude to President Duterte for his complete trust and confidence in me, particularly in my abilities to lead the MMDA,” Abalos added.

Abalos, a lawyer, was the MMDA’s chief for more than a year, succeeding Danilo Lim, who died in January 2021.

Abalos has led programs and projects to carry out the agency’s mandates under Republic Act 7924 since his appointment.

The National Capital Region’s pandemic response, as well as initiatives implemented by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) to reduce the number of Covid-19 infections and eventually achieve herd immunity in the region, are examples. Abalos also led the National Capital Region’s Covid-19 pandemic response.

He was the driving force behind the immunization of agency employees, as well as economic front-line workers including Philippine Basketball Association officials, cagers, laborers, and those in the entertainment industry.

Abalos, as the MMC’s overall head, also started the Metro Manila mayors’ “Vax As One” program.

He collaborated closely with the city’s leading executives and coordinated their efforts to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases in the city. It has approved key policies relating to the metropolis’ collective move and decision to fulfill its common objective of defending Metro Manileos’ health and wellbeing.

The motto “MMDA At Your Service” was used by Abalos as he led the agency to be of service to every Metro Manileño.

While ensuring that the metropolis copes with the pandemic, Abalos started critical projects such as flood control mitigation measures, traffic reduction initiatives, sanitation, and beautification.

“The MMDA will always be at your service,” Abalos said, “keeping the agency’s promise to offer quick, efficient, and quality services for a safe, livable, and workable environment for all.”

Abalos oversaw the reopening of U-turn slots on Edsa, clearing operations at Balintawak Market, bicycle lane improvements, clearing of ground floor levels of Edsa flyovers, the unveiling of motorcycle emergency laybys, the launch of cashless payments for traffic violations, and the opening of the Kalawaan station for the Pasig River Ferry Service.

He also ensured that pumping stations are operational, launched the MMDA’s solid waste granulator and brick-making facility to reduce waste on waterways, and launched two waste diversion initiatives, the Mobile Materials Recovery Facility (MMRF) and Community Based Takakura Composting, to minimize waste and promote segregation and composting in communities.

On urban redevelopment, Abalos created “I Love MM (Metro Manila),” advocacy aimed at lifting the morale of citizens recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak, as well as bolstering urban renewal projects aimed at making the metropolis a more habitable, greener, and resilient region.

MMDA received a plaque of honor from the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 lead implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. during the ‘I Love MM’ launch on November 13, 2021, for providing important support to the national government’s interventions to fight the epidemic.

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