Proof of parking space law needed — senator

MANILA, Philippines — Congress should immediately pass the bill that would require prospective vehicle owners to present proof of parking space for a new car to complement the move of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to impose heftier fines on illegal parking, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday.

Gatchalian, author of Senate Bill 201 also known as the proposed Proof-of-Parking Space Act, made the call as he threw his support behind the MMDA’s initiative to slap higher fines on illegally parked vehicles to decongest the already crowded Metro Manila streets.

The MMDA has recently raised the fine for attended illegally parked vehicles from its original price of P200 to P1,000. Drivers of unattended illegally parked vehicles, on the other hand, will now have to pay P2,000.

“The MMDA’s move to impose higher penalties may now prompt motorists to think twice before parking their cars along the streets. However, I believe that we still need a law that will instill a culture of responsible vehicle ownership among Filipinos,” Gatchalian said.

He said the measure seeks to make each vehicle owner to be more responsible in owning vehicles.

Under the measure, individuals and businesses based in Metro Manila would only be allowed to purchase vehicles after the execution of an affidavit confirming they have acquired, either through purchase or lease, a parking space for it.

According to Land Transportation Office (LTO) records, the number of registered motor vehicles from the year 2015 until 2017 were 10,410,814. It also showed that there are about 1,000 registrations each day, 600 of which are for newly purchased vehicles.

The bill also mandates the LTO, MMDA and local government units to conduct frequent ocular inspections of major and minor thoroughfares across the National Capital Region to remove illegally parked vehicles and punish vehicle owners who refuse to comply with the law.

Last October, the Senate committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship created a technical working group to further refine the provisions of the bill. The senator said he aims to have the bill passed in the coming weeks.

“With this bill, we hope to make the National Capital Region a more livable place by decongesting the roads of our nation’s capital, taking a modest step toward solving Manila’s perennial traffic crisis in the process,” Gatchalian said.