Diagonal parking areas now prohibited by OBO

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Office of the Building Official will no longer allow diagonal parking areas even for establishments situated in secondary roads in order to improve the traffic situation in the city.

OBO acting chief Josefa Ylanan said Mayor Michael Rama instructed her to stop giving favor to selected establishments that are situated in interior roads, but to strictly implement the “nose in and nose out policy” of parking.

The type of vehicle parking that is allowed by OBO is that the vehicle shall be parallel to the wall of the building to make sure that every time the vehicle goes out from the parking area it will not obstruct traffic.

The policy is that there should be a designated entrance and exit for vehicles in the parking area so that when the vehicle goes out there is no need for it to reverse and obstruct other motorists.

“Kon makakita mo og gitukod nga building unya ang ilang parking dili nose-in ug nose-out pahibaw-a dayon kami kay dili man namo maato pagsuroy ang tibuok nga siyudad,” Ylanan said.

During the term of former mayor Tomas Osmeña, several food establishments along Salinas Drive in Barangay Lahug were issued notices of violation and ordered temporarily closed because of failure to comply with the parking requirements.

Salinas Drive is one of the busiest roads at night because some of the vehicles of customers are just parked beside the road.

“Kon diagonal style gud ang parking, moatras pa man ang sakyanan kon mogawas na sa parking area mao nga kinahanglan usa nga mohunong ang mga sakyanan nga moagi,” Ylanan explained.

She also said that barangay officials who are constructing infrastructure projects within their jurisdiction should comply with the provisions of the law because while there is no need for the government to pay permit fees they are still not exempted from complying with the requirements.

In the case of Barangay San Roque whose officials are requesting that they be allowed to just park their vehicles beside the road because they do not have a garage, Ylanan said the law should be implemented whoever they are. (FREEMAN)