20 March 2015 – Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis N. Tolentino and the Metro Manila Mayors on March 18 held a meeting of the Metro Manila Council at the Philippine Embassy in Roppongi to consolidate and undertake a  practical application in their cities and municipalities of the lessons learned during their “Lakbay-Aral” visit in Tokyo from March 15 to 19.

Chairman Tolentino presided over the meeting with the mayors and representatives from the cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Paranaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan and the municipality of Pateros.   The Metro Manila Council, whose membership is composed of the mayors of the cities and municipalities, is the governing board and policy-making body of the MMDA.

In applying the lessons learned during the study-visit, the Council adopted a number of resolutions, most of which aim to facilitate the study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on reclamation projects, ring dikes for flood control, development of a waste management strategy including the conduct of a feasibility study for a waste treatment plant, the road network for Metro Manila including an integrated circumferential road network to interconnect C3 and C5, and a ferry system along major waterways in Metro Manila such as the Pasig river to include a traffic separation scheme and ship routing system to ensure the safe navigation of the ferry boats.

The Council also adopted a resolution to establish a cooperation agreement between the MMDA and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) to enhance the disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) programs of Metro Manila.

The study-visit of the MMDA executives and the Metro Manila Mayors was conducted with the assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which gave a briefing for the local executives on JICA projects and activities in Metro Manila, especially on the urban development road map.

During the “Lakbay-Aral”, Chairman Tolentino and the Metro Manila Mayors had a briefing on the mass transport system at the Yokohama Transportation Bureau on March 16 that took them to a ride on the Yokohama subway, a meeting with JICA senior officials, a visit to the Honjo Disaster Prevention Center on March 17 for a  demonstration of the DRRM programs including the public education and preparedness for earthquakes using an earthquake simulator, call on Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe, and a visit to the New Koto Waste Processing Plant on March 18 to observe the waste collection and recycling system.

During the call on Governor Masuzoe, MMDA Chairman Tolentino cited the strong city-to-city cooperation between Metro Manila and Tokyo, especially on programs to address common issues such as pollution, traffic management, waste recycling and disposal, mass housing, DRRM measures especially during floods, and health care.   Chairman Tolentino expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the MMDA and the TMG.

In response, Governor Masuzoe assured the continued support of the TMG to the efforts of the MMDA and the Metro Manila Mayors to improve the services to their respective constituents.  The Governor also briefed his guests on the DRRM measures of Tokyo including the 4 mass disaster drills held annually to prepare the residents of Greater Tokyo for a strong earthquake as part of the lessons learned from the Great Tohoku Earthquake that struck East Japan in March 2011. Governor Masuzoe said disaster preparedness is essential for the safety, security and well-being of the Tokyo residents.

The Governor also briefed the Metro Manila local executives on the development programs of Tokyo that will bring about a changing landscape for the city especially towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He also expressed appreciation for some 180,000 Filipino tourists who visited Tokyo and other areas of Japan in 2014, which is a 70% increase from the number of Filipino tourist arrivals in 2013. Former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Mayor Herbert Bautista of Quezon City, in their response, thanked Govermor Masuzoe for meeting them at the TMG and for the learning experience especially the DRRM measures of the TMG for earthquakes. They encouraged MMDA Chairman Tolentino to undertake a similar earthquake drill for the Metro Manila area.

Prior to the conclusion of their study-visit, Philippine Ambassador to Japan and Madame Manuel M. Lopez hosted a dinner reception for the delegation at the Nampedai compound of the Embassy. During the program, Chairman Tolentino presented to Ambassador Lopez a resolution unanimously approved by the Council during their meeting in the afternoon expressing appreciation for the assistance of the officers and staff of the Embassy during the preparation and actual conduct of the five-day “Lakbay-Aral”.

With Chairman Tolentino, Mayors Estrada and Bautista, the delegation includes Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, Mayor Oscar Malapitan of Caloocan City, Mayor John Reynald Tiangco of Navotas City, Mayor Antolin Oreta III of Malabon City, Mayor Guia Gomez of San Juan City, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi of Muntinlupa City, Mayor Antonino Calixto of Pasay City, Mayor Edwin Olivarez of Parañaque City, Mayor Del R De Guzman of Marikina City, Mayor Belen Eusebio of Pasig City, Mayor Jaime Medina of Pateros, former Mayor Imelda Aguilar of Las Piñas City, former Mayor Robert Eusebio of Pasig City, and MMDA executives. END