Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Romando Artes said MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III will handle around 70% to 80% of the agency’s operations.

In a briefing, Artes said basically, we already talked together with the top management of the MMDA, and all operation matters related to the agency, which is I think 70% to 80% of the work of the MMDA, will be under him directly.

He said this will allow him to focus more on the administrative and planning aspect of the MMDA.

Artes said that Torre will prioritize the discipline of traffic enforcers and will review the traffic management of areas such as the Marcos Highway and Commonwealth.

Meanwhile, when asked why he was appointed to the MMDA, Torre said it was up to the President.

“Ang tingin ko naman sa buong makinarya ng gobyerno ay malaking team. Kumbaga sa basketball hindi naman araw-araw sasabihin ng coach ay forward ka, or ito ang role mo. May option ang ating coach, ang ating Presidente, kung saan niya ilalagay ang kanyang mga tao,” Torre said.

(I view the entire machinery of government as one big team. Like in basketball, the coach doesn’t say every day that you are a forward, or that this is your role. Our coach, our President, has the option of where to place his people.)

“Ako naman, kung ano ang sinabi ng coach, sunod tayo… ako ay naniniwala walang malaki o maliit na roles eh. Pare-pareho ‘yan na lahat ay serbisyong publiko,” he added.