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PRINCIPAL AUTHORS: HON. FRANCISCO "Isko Moreno" DOMAGOSO. Vice-Mayor and Presinding Officer, HON. MARLON M. LACSON, Majority Floor Leader, HON. EDWAR V.P. MACEDA, President Pro-Tempore and Acting Presiding Officer, HON. JOEL R. CHUA, HON. ERNESTO C. ISIP, JR., Hon. Ma. Priscilla T. Abante, Hon. Dennis B. Alcoreza, Hon. Irma C. Alfonso-Juson, Hon. Roberto D. Asilo, Hon. Arnold I. Atienza, Hon. Don Juan "DJ" Bagatsing, Hon. Ruben F. Buenaventura, Hon. Antonio G. Capistrano, Hon. Arlene L. Chua, Hon. Ernesto M. Dionisio Jr., Hon. Ma. Asuncion G. Fugoso, Hon. Joey S. Hizon III, Hon. Cristina A. Isip, Hon. Rodolfo N. Lacsamana, Hon. Leilani Marie H. Lacuna, Hon. Numero G. Lim, Hon. John Marvin C. Nieto, Hon. Erick Ian O. Nieva, Hon. Roberto R, Ortega, Jr., Hon. Joel M. Par, Hon. Science A. Reyes, Hon. Elizabeth Z. Rivera, Hon. Ramon M. Robles, Hon. Josefina M. Siscar, Hon. Casimiro C. Sison, Hon. Christian Paul L. Uy, Hon. Rolando M. Valeriano, Hon. Raymundo R. Yupangco and Hon. Manuel M. Zarcal

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WHEREAS, up until the 1960's, Escolta, a street in downtown Binondo, served as the country's main business and commercial strip, home of the trendiest shops and earliest high-rise structures, including one that housed the Manila Stock Exchange;

WHEREAS, Escolta has since lagged behind in development, giving was to urban blight, with the rise of new trading hubs in other cities, notably Makati City;

WHEREAS, following the Metropolitan Manila Development Authory's (MMDA) revival of the Pasig River ferry system last month, and with Escolta being one of its stops, MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino proposed the creation of the Escolta Redevelopment Administration;

WHEREAS, Escolta is already part of a local government plan spearheaded by His Honor, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, to rehabilitate Binondo, which he unveiled during the Chinese New Year celebration last January 2014;

WHEREAS, as aptly pointed out by His Honor, Mayor Estrada, "this is just like dismembering the City of Manila even further", nothing that the national government had already taken over key sites of the city over the last decades.  The mayor cited the Philippines Ports Authority being in charge of the Manila Port Area, the Intramuros Administration overseeing the historic Walled City, and the National Parks Development Committee managing Rizal Park.  Mayor Estrada also cited the Metropolitan Theater, the Rizal Memorial Stadium and Muni Golf Links as other sites hosted by Manila but under the administrative control of national agencies;

WHEREAS, the proposed plan of Chairman Tolentino would effectively deprive the City of Manila of administrative control over Escolta, which may result in the loss of revenue and taxes for the city, among others, to the detriment of its constituents: NOW, THEREFORE, be it

RESOLVES, by the City Council of Manila to support, as it hereby supports President-Mayor Josept Ejercito Estrada in strongly opposing the proposal of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman, Francis Tolentino, to create a national body to revive Escolta Street in Binondo, City of Manila; and be it FURTHER

RESOLVES, that copies of this Resolution be furnished the Office of the Mayor, the Office of the Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Office of the President.

PRESIDED BY:

(Sgd.) FRANCISCO "Isko Moreno" DOMAGOSO
Vice-Mayor and Presiding Officer
City Council, Manila

This Resolution was adopted by the City Council of Manila at its regular session on May 20, 2014.

ATTESTED:

(Sgd.) LUCH R. GEMPIS, JR.
City Government Department Head III
(Secretary to the City Council)