In a significant move to improve traffic management and road safety, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have signed a new agreement. The ceremony took place at the GSIS headquarters in Pasay City on December 18, 2024, and was attended by key figures including GSIS President Wick Veloso, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, and MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana.
The agreement allows the MMDA to utilize GSIS properties more extensively to tackle urban traffic challenges. The GSIS Julia Vargas site in Pasig City will continue to serve as the location for the MMDA Motorcycle Riding Academy, which plays a crucial role in enhancing road safety through educational programs for riders. Additionally, this site will offer temporary office spaces for MMDA staff displaced by ongoing construction, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery.
Another GSIS property, the Tumana site in Marikina, will be transformed into a strategic hub to bolster MMDA’s traffic management efforts, including vehicle impounding and traffic enforcement operations.
Veloso highlighted the growth of this partnership, which initially started in 2015 as a basic property agreement. He stated that the collaboration has evolved into a model of effective inter-agency cooperation, demonstrating how government bodies can work together to achieve significant public service improvements. He emphasized that this partnership is a step towards more responsive and efficient urban governance, aligning with the Marcos administration’s strategy of a whole-of-government approach to maximize resources and enhance public service outcomes.
Veloso concluded by saying, ‘When agencies collaborate closely, we become stronger and more effective in serving the public.’