Belmonte wants trucks, cars off sidewalks

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has ordered a renewed crackdown on cargo trucks and other vehicles using sidewalks as parking areas, damaging pavements recently constructed or repaired by the city government.

He told Manuel Sabalza, chief of the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) to coordinate with Quezon City Police District (QCPD) chief Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula to clear the sidewalks of illegally parked vehicles, particularly in heavily populated areas.

“There must be regular inspection of all streets in the city to ensure that they are free from illegally park vehicles.” Belmonte told Sabalza and Gatdula during a recent staff executive meeting.

City legal officer Christian Valencia said owners of vehicles parked on sidewalks, particularly at night, face a P5,000 fine or a year’s stay in jail.   – Perseus Echeminada