Published January 18, 2021, 10:10 AM Former Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos assumd his new position chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Devlopment Authority (MMDA) last Tuesday, taking over from Danilo Lim who died last week from cardiac arrest a week after contracting COVID-19. On his first day n office, he said he will look into MMDA’s program on COVID-19 in coordination with ongoing national efforts against the pandemic and with local government units which have drawn up their individual plans against the virus. Many of these local governments now have plans to purchase vaccines for their people. Chairman Abalos may find that a great deal of his attention will be needed to solve Metro Manila’s basic problems as a region, notably transport and traffic, flood control, garbage and pollution. It was for problems in these areas that the MMDA was organized in 1975, for they required coordinating the efforts of the 17 separate local governments of Metro Manila.