LAWYER and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Romando Artes was appointed recently as the new Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman effective March 1, 2022.
He replaced former MMDA chair Atty. Benhur Abalos Jr., who resigned last February 7.
Artes first served as the MMDA’s Assistant General Manager (AGM) for Finance and Administration in May 2017 and was appointed MMDA General Manager last November 2021.
As AGM for Finance and Administration, he managed the agency’s budget and finances and achieved the first-ever “unqualified opinion” from the Commission on Audit for 2019 and again in 2021, and was part of efforts behind MMDA’s ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Also, Artes led the MMDA’s COVID-19 Committee which managed to inoculate almost all MMDA employees and their immediate families. Because of the agency’s harmonious relationship with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), National Task Force Against COVID-19, Department of Health, and National Vaccine Operations Center (NVOC), the MMDA was able to extend assistance to neighboring local government units of the National Capital Region in their vaccination drives.
He also supervised the Public-Private Partnership program that facilitated the construction of the MMDA’s new headquarters in Ortigas, Pasig City which is set to be finished by this year.
The newly-appointed MMDA chief expressed gratitude to the President for his trust and confidence, assuring the public that projects beneficial to Metro Manila shall continue to be implemented.
“It is an honor to be appointed as the MMDA Chairman. The agency has been my home for the past five years–from the term of the late Chairman Danilo Lim and later under Chairman Abalos,” said Artes.
“I will continue to work for the completion of the projects and programs needed and pursuant to our mandates – traffic, solid waste and flood management, urban renewal, public safety, among others and the equally important COVID-19 vaccination as we transition to the new normal, ” he added.
Prior to his MMDA stint, Artes served both as an accountant and lawyer in the City of Binan and Consultant in the City of Sta. Rosa in Laguna.
He also served with the legislative branch of government as Political and Legislative Officer in the Senate and consultant in the House of Representatives.
Artes is a product of the then-San Beda College with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Accountancy in 1993. He also obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the same university in 1998 and passed the Bar examinations in the same year.
After graduating in 1993, Atty. Artes worked with the prestigious accounting firm Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. until 1994. After passing the Bar in 1998, he then started his career as a lawyer with the Cayetano Sebastian Dado & Cruz Law Office until 2000. He went on to serve as a Partner in the So Artes & Partners Law Offices from 2017 up to present but took a leave of absence due to his MMDA stint.
Meanwhile, MMDA Undersecretary Frisco San Juan Jr. was also appointed as General Manager, a concurrent since he is also the agency’s deputy chairman.
San Juan vowed to assist the Chairman in formulating projects, resolutions and regulations that will benefit Metro Manila and its residents.