Bosita denounces MMDA’s alleged towing system on trucks

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita (PPAB)

Rep. Bonifacio Bosita, a member of the 1-Rider party-list, denounced the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for its allegedly unfair system of impounding repaired trucks that were previously cited for violations.

During plenary deliberations on the MMDA’s PHP10.8 billion 2025 budget proposal, Bosita criticized the agency over the “capacity” of the five available towing vehicles.

“For the MMDA, without additional budget, the yung kanilang towing truck has the capacity to transport trucks,” he said.

(The MMDA should, given the size of its budget, provide for its towing trucks to be capable of towing broken down trucks.)

Bosita, a member of the minority bloc, raised the issue by pointing out that the MMDA’s failings were being blamed on truck drivers.

“There are guidelines from the MMDA that require a vehicle to be impounded, then the MMDA officers must be instructed. It is essential to instruct the driver and impound him,” he said.

(Is it correct in the MMDA guidelines that instead of towing or finding a way to remove the disabled vehicle, they are ticketed and then monitored by MMDA officers. When the vehicle is repaired, the driver will be asked to drive it, for impoundment.)

Bosita noted that this typically happens two to five days after a traffic officer has cited the disabled truck for “obstruction” and “disabled vehicle” violations.

He stressed that this was not an isolated case, but that it had already happened “on several occasions”.

“Walang public service po doon, kumbaga ‘yung mali ng ahensiya hindi na nga tinatama, ginagawang pabigat pa sa mga kababayan nating motorista,” the congressman added.

(There is no public service there, it seems that the agency’s shortcomings are not being corrected, and on the contrary, they are becoming a burden for our fellow motorists.)

Caloocan 2nd District Representative Mitch Cajayon-Uy, the MMDA’s budget sponsor, assured Bosita that the so-called project was not a guideline or policy of the agency.

After clarifying that this was not a guideline, Bosita said: “In other words, ‘yan po ay pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan (this is an abuse of power).”

Cajayon-Uy said the MMDA would undertake to review its towing policy to prevent such a scheme from happening again.

“That I can help you with MMDA, but also with the driver… Rest assured, I advise you to follow the instructions,” she stressed.

(The MMDA also has a heart, it has sympathy for motorists… Rest assured, particular attention will be paid to the instructions).

Currently, the MMDA plans to divide Metro Manila into five different sectors, with each sector overseen by a towing company that will provide and manage towing vehicles.

Next year, the agency will add an additional towing vehicle under its roof, specifically for heavy-duty loaded vehicles.

“It is important to engage with the MMDA to understand the guidelines for hindi maabuso drivers and kaawa-awang dumaranas niyan drivers,” Bosita concluded.

(My only request is that the MMDA commits to following the guidelines so that the poor drivers who suffer from this situation are not mistreated anymore.)