MMDA: Report good, bad personnel via new website

MANILA -- The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) launched Tuesday a new website that seeks to establish transparency within the agency through the participation of citizens.

The agency said the new Metro Solusyon website, which can be accessed through www.metrosolusyon.mmda.gov.ph, is patterned after India's "I paid a bribe" website but made "more serious."

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the website aims to foster transparency and active civic participation and also in finding solutions to various metro-wide concerns.

"The main premise of the Metro Solusyon website is Ako Kasama sa Solusyon [I am part of the solution]. I am urging the public to report complaints or incidents involving MMDA employees, laud or commend a good deed done by our personnel, and suggest possible solutions to the problems of Metro Manila," Tolentino said.

The new website features the following sections: What is Metro Solusyon, What I Should Know Before I Report in This Site, A Call for Citizen Partnership, Legal, MMDA's Commitment, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and Other MMDA Initiatives.

Tolentino said the new website should be utilized by individuals who have complaints against MMDA employees instead of sending unknown reports or text messages to authorities.

"As responsible and concerned citizens, people should stop hiding behind text messages and reports sent anonymously to authorities to express their gripes against illegal activities in the metropolis," Tolentino said on the newly launched website.

But those who wish to report any incident must login first. Complaints must include the full name of the complainant together with the specific date, time, and place where the incident happened.

Individuals who submitted a report will then receive a confirmation notice if their report was received successfully and will be given a reference number which they can use for follow-up.

"We will verify the complaints first before we publish it to the website in order to protect our personnel from bogus and malicious reports. But we will investigate right away complaints which are truthful," Tolentino said.

"My appeal to people who complain and call our agency's attention, is to give us accurate and complete reports and assist us through the process, so that we can act upon them with more concrete solutions, swiftly," Tolentino also said on the new website.

As of Tuesday, a single report can be read on the website which lauds three MMDA traffic enforcers who reportedly refused a bribe offered by a motorist who was caught of a violation.

According to the report, a truck driver caught of beating the red light tried to offer money to the traffic enforcers identified as Baldomero Capulo Jr., Enrico Dimarucot and Regino Manabat.

However, the three traffic enforcers refused the bribe and instead asked for the driver’s license of the motorist, who was also given an apprehension ticket.

Tolentino said such reports would help in promoting honesty and confidence among MMDA employees.

"To promote good practices and to bring out the best in our men and women, we also need your help to regularly commend our people for jobs well done," said Tolentino.

"Many of our people are faced with the everyday hazards of work under extreme physical conditions, and we truly appreciate your help in boosting the morale of our agency," he added. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)