Torre outlines agency priorities

Newly appointed Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Nicolas Torre III assumed leadership of the agency’s daily operations Monday, following a high-level briefing with chairperson Don Artes and key officials.

Artes clarified that Torre, a former Philippine National Police official, will have direct oversight of 70 to 80 percent of the agency’s operational matters.

“General Torre will be in charge of daily operations and will basically run the agency,” Artes said. He added that Torre will also serve as the agency’s official spokesperson.

Torre, who was appointed to the post in December 2025, identified traffic management, flood mitigation, and solid waste management as his immediate priorities. He characterized his transition from law enforcement to urban management as a continuation of his commitment to the government.

“This is another era of public service,” Torre said. “I view the government machinery as a team. There is no big or small role — all of it is public service.”

A primary focus of the new administration will be internal discipline. Artes cited that under Torre’s leadership, the agency’s Special Investigation Office will conduct more rigorous inquiries into enforcement lapses to hold erring traffic enforcers accountable.