Fernando named MMDA chairman

President Arroyo appointed yesterday former Marikina Mayor Bayani Fernando as new chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), urging him to clean up the metropolis as he had done in his home city, which garnered him national and international awards.

Fernando replaces Benjamin Abalos whom the President appointed Monday as chairman of the Commission on Elections, in a move to break the impasse in the constitutional body wracked by infighting.

As Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay welcomed Fernando’s appointment, the former mayor and his wife Marides — the current Marikina mayor — remained evasive.

The President announced Fernando’s appointment during a speech delivered at the opening ceremonies of the two-day Culture and Arts Conference in a hotel in Manila.

Before revealing Fernando’s name, Mrs. Arroyo issued a set of directives, including the revival of the Metropolitan Theater in Manila to give the masses access to cultural activities, and review by the new MMDA chairman of the allocation of the proceeds of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

"Incidentally, you might want to know whom I will give the instructions, you might want to know who will be the new MMDA chairman, it is Bayani Fernando, the former mayor of Marikina City," she said.

The President recalled that when she asked the then Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Richard Gordon to be secretary of tourism, she told him that what he had done for Subic, "you’ve got to do for the country."

"When I called Bayani, I said, ‘BF’, what you did for Marikina, you must (do) for the whole Metro Manila," she said.

Fernando has long been a "front runner" in the MMDA chief selection, acting Press Secretary Silvestre Afable said.

"The President in private meetings has mentioned his (Fernando’s) name and the reason is obvious, because of his track record, enforcing a lot of reforms in Marikina especially at the street and community levels," Afable said.

The President said she advanced P50 million from the President’s Social Fund not for the awards of the best movies, but during preliminary judging. The money would be used as subsidy for the production of best scripts that will be chosen by the MMFF.

Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, whom she asked to help her work out the implementing guidelines in the use of the subsidy, gave her the idea for such move, she said.

The President said the MMFF receives a lot of income and that the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) should also take part of the P50-million subsidy.

During a review on the allocation of the proceeds from the MMFF, concerned officials should ensure that the endowment or the production subsidy contributed by the NCCA to the semifinalists or qualifying scripts should become a permanent fund, she said.

In this way, there would be money again for next year’s subsidy, she said.

Waiting for word from Malacañang

Meanwhile, Fernando’s wife Marides told The STAR that they were waiting for the formal word from Malacañang. "I understand they are still preparing the press release," she said.

Marides said that there would not be any "problem" with her being the incumbent Marikina mayor and her husband the incoming MMDA administrator.

Former Parañaque Mayor Ignacio Bunye was also reportedly in the shortlist.

Pasay Mayor Wenceslao Trinidad, the Metro Manila Mayors’ League spokesman, said they are "leaving the decision to the President."

"We assure her that she has our full backing and confidence. We will accept whoever her choice is," Trinidad said.

On Fernando’s management style, Trinidad said, "He knows that managing a city is different from managing other cities and the whole of Metro Manila. For one, there are the mayors with whom he has to work."

Trinidad said he was confident that Fernando understands the change from being a city mayor to heading the MMDA.

Fernando was a three-term Marikina city mayor whose third three-year term ended in 2001. His wife won the election for the seat and succeeded him.

He became popular after he transformed Marikina into one of the cleanest cities in the metropolis, but was also criticized for being severe in the implementation of city ordinances.

Marikina earned various national and international awards for its cleanliness and order.

"The appointment of Bayani Fernando is a most welcome choice. He has the right background, and the right credentials. He is, after all the mayor responsible for turning Marikina into one of Metro Manila’s success stories in local governance," Binay said.

Binay, a former MMDA chief himself, said "I am optimistic that he will be able to unify the diverse concerns of the mayors and their constituents, in order to address the difficulties facing Metro Manila as a whole."

Fernando "has the experience, aptitude, managerial competence, and political will needed in managing the affairs of the MMDA. I look forward to working with him," he said.

Rep. Willie Buyson Villarama (Aksyon Demokratiko, Bulacan) said Fernando’s appointment is "good news."

"We should try BF’s skills in ridding the metropolis of traffic congestion, illegal vending, and stinking garbage. He should share his Marikina experience with the rest of Metro Manila," he said.

At the Senate, Senators Manuel Villar Jr., Aquilino Pimentel, and Juan Flavier lauded the appointment of Fernando to the post, and challenged him to do what he had done in Marikina to the entire Metro Manila.

"The decision to appoint former Mayor Fernando is a good one as he has the proven track record and expertise. Chairman Fernando is faced with many challenges that he must hurdle, foremost of which is finding a long-term and environmentally sound solution to the garbage crisis as well as improving the traffic situation in Metro Manila, Villar said.

Fernando should also rid the MMDA of corrupt personnel, who had been a bane to motorists and tainted the image of the organization, he said.

Pimentel said, "He is a good choice. He can bring to Metro Manila the good things he had brought to Marikina. We support his appointment 100 percent."

Flavier said Fernando was an "excellent" choice given his experience in transforming Marikina. — With Aurea Calica