Mandaue to strictly enforce parking ban on sidewalks

Starting November 15, the Mandaue City police traffic department and the Traffic Efficiency for Development and Management will strictly enforce an existing ordinance banning vehicle owners from parking their vehicles on the sidewalks.

TEDMAN head Bienvenido Mabanto Jr. said the enforcement was agreed upon in a meeting with his board of directors following the complaints of pedestrians that they could no longer use the sidewalks because of vehicles parked on these places.

Mabanto, also an assistant city prosecutor, said City Ordinance No. 09-2002-078 is a three-year-old law that prohibits parking on the sidewalks and punishing violators with a P500 fine and towing of their vehicles.

The towing fees imposed are P1,000 for light vehicles, P1,500 for medium vehicles, and P2,000 heavy vehicles. Those under the medium and heavy categories are vehicles above 4-wheeler trucks.

The city government will also collect storage fees on all impounded vehicles, the rates of which are P150 for light vehicles, P200 for medium vehicles, and P650 for heavy vehicles.

The city had entered into a memorandum of agreement with Jadewell Parking System, a Manila-based private company, to collect parking fees for all vehicles at designated parking areas around Mandaue.

Jadewell was also authorized to tow vehicles of drivers who violated traffic rules and regulations, especially on the parking ban at the sidewalks.

Mayor Thadeo Ouano said the city government has adopted measures to address the traffic congestion problem in the city, and the planned enforcement of traffic laws is one of the steps to achieve that end. - Jose P. Sollano