House bill to require free parking for customers as 'matter of courtesy'

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker from South Cotabato has filed a bill making it mandatory for establishments to provide free parking for their customers.

In filing House Bill No. 5292, Rep. Peter Miguel (South Cotabato, 2nd District) argued that designated parking facilities are a "basic amenity" and "matter of courtesy" to patrons that would protect the interest of the consumer and encourage more trade and ultimately set "a good environment for businesses."

"This interpretation is not only reasonable and logical but finds support in the actual practice in other countries like the United States of America, where parking spaces owned and operated by these establishments are free of charge," the congressman wrote in his explanatory note. 

In Metro Manila, parking in commercial establishments go for around P50, with additional charges per hour. 

To avoid abuse of parking slots, Miguel's bill defines a "legitimate patron" as any consumer who actually purchased the establishment's products or availed of its services. 

Under the measure, these consumers can use the parking space of malls, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, hotels and similar businesses or public establishments for at least two hours provided they spend at least P500.

The lawmaker said that consumers that go to establishments without similar facilities often end up parking on the streets, "which will eventually result in traffic congestion."

The bill will also offer tax benefits to business establishments to offset the cost of parking space.

"Since the success of such a business primarily depends upon the goodwill of its patrons, the provision of parking areas significantly improves the desirability of the area inasmuch as the profitability of surrounding businesses because consumers will always prefer to go malls [where] safe and available [parking] is ensured," Miguel also wrote. 

Does more parking help congestion?

Per data from the Land Transportation Office, vehicular volume in EDSA has already well exceeded its last recorded pre-pandemic levels as restrictions continue to ease. MMDA data also shows that private cars take up 80 percent of road space based on the authority's annual average daily traffic counts.

At the same time, though, data from the Japan International Cooperation Agency recently found that only 11% of Filipino households own a private vehicle.

Experts and urban planners have said that based on the economic phenomenon of induced demand, more roads and spaces for cars will only attract further car use and eventually worsen road congestion instead of addressing it.

"Opening more roads leads to induced demand, meaning traffic will still increase no matter how many roads we build or open. If we want to lessen traffic congestion, we have to lessen car-dependency and improve other modes like public transport and active transport," commuter group AltMobility PH said in an earlier Philstar.com story.

The bill has since been referred to the House Committee on Trade and Industry chaired by Rep. Marvey Marino (Batangas, 5th District).