Toby to Bayani: Listen to what we have to say

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco advised Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando yesterday to listen to what the Metro Manila mayors have to say because they are the best people who can help him in his job even as he scored him for not keeping his promise not to talk to media "until the latest issues shall have been studied."

"Bakit ayaw niyang makinig (sa mayors) at ipinipilit niya kung ano ang kanyang maisip? Not everyting he comes up with is applicable to all LGUs after all. Maybe the mayors can help. The local executives are the one who can best help him. The good chairman certainly has no monopoly of good ideas," Tiangco said.

The mayor also reminded Fernando that he was once a mayor (of Marikina) and believed then that what he was doing for his city was far better than what the MMDA believed it did.

"Sana kung ano ang stand niya nung mayor pa siya ay yun din ngayon. Dapat consistent siya. Huwag naman dahil may iba na siyang upuan," Tiangco said.

He also said Fernando must have a problem with keeping promises so he broke his part of the agreement yesterday for an even playing field.

The mayor said he is not spoiling for a fight nor has he anything personal against Fernando but appeared agitated yesterday, apparently "disturbed" by the MMDA chairman’s recent statements in the media. This, he said, despite Fernando asking them (mayors) not to make further statements about the issues brought about by the recent Supreme Court decision that, in effect, clipped the MMDA’s powers.

"We agreed even as he told us after a meeting last Thursday na pag-aralan muna ang mga isyu, na wala munang maglalabas ng statement to the media. I kept myself from talking, tapos, eto siya at marami nang sinasabi," Tiangco said to reporters in his office at the Navotas Municipal Hall.

The mayor had earlier said he is not for the abolition of the MMDA because it is "still needed" pointing out it still plays a major role in keeping the metropolis in order.

He made no comment whether it is time to boot out the MMDA chairman but said, however, that there had been no major problems with the previous leadership of the metropolitan agency.

"Dati OK naman. But I have no authority to remove him. It is the prerogative of the President," he said.