CITOM's midnight madness

More than three times now, I've tried parking at a designated pay parking space (public parking) in uptown Cebu City past midnight only to feel harassed by the CITOM supposedly implementing the "no overnight parking policy." I say midnight madness because the enforcement of said provision in the ordinance that prohibits overnight parking is almost always arbitrary. Arbitrary because never have I parked there with the intention of leaving my car overnight, yet they always decide, on grounds known only to them (perhaps owing to gut-feel, or completely unreliable psychic abilities), that I am leaving it for the night (according to their definition, overnight is leaving your car from 12 midnight to 5 am). My reasons? To eat, have something hurriedly printed at an internet café, have coffee, or get a massage—but always, I pay at the city's pay parking areas. ALWAYS. Never in a "No stopping anytime" or "Tow-away zone." NEVER.

A few weeks ago, when I needed to print something for my BIR appointment early in the morning (our printer ran out of ink so I had to do the printing elsewhere), I parked in front of the Juan Lakwatsero internet café, a pay parking spot. Shortly after, in the middle of me working late trying my best to be a responsible tax payer, people start shouting, alerting me of CITOM's presence. They were already in the process of clamping my vehicle. I was furious. "Sir, no overnight parking man ni ngari." "Unya, do I look like I'm sleeping here? Kaklaro anang naa ko sa sulod sa internet café. Kung di ko kaparada ngari, asa man kuno ko nimo pa-parkon, aber?"  "Aw, ambot, sir." What utter nonsense.

See the irony, I was working on my taxes, and here's my government harassing me, making it difficult for me, without rhyme or reason or rationale for doing so, just because there is a most stupid ordinance which they choose to implement in the most stupid way, ever!

So the next time it happened again, last Tuesday, July 8, I could no longer let it pass. And I'd like to thank Cebu City Mayor Michael Lopez Rama for answering my call at 2:30 a.m. Again, my apologies for disturbing your sleep.

I've long since protested the city's "no overnight parking" ordinance because apart from CITOM's arbitrary or selective implementation, it is senseless and counter-productive to say the least. At the time, we (together with The Freeman's assistant news editor Joeberth Ocao, former Freeman entertainment editor Debbie Duraliza, and the Philippine Star's Nathalie Tomada) were at Orange Brutus in Fuente, enjoying Cebuano favorites like Brutus's burger steak, Choco Monster, etcetera. Still, CITOM was going to clamp on my car parked in a public pay parking spot in Fuente, a known 24/7 area.

So I ask again, where the hell do I park in all of Cebu City if not in a pay parking area? Where does the city expect people to park when they patronize establishments that are either open 24/7 or until the wee hours if not in designated pay parking areas?

May I remind the brilliant author of this stupid ordinance — whoever he or she is, this thinking member of the Cebu City council — that Cebu has become a 24-hour city, a city that never sleeps, thanks in large part to the call centers/BPO sector and the allied industries it's brought to life, and to night owl taxpayers like me who shun the light of day!

And these industries, establishments—from restaurants, coffee shops, to internet cafes, to spas—pay taxes to the city. How can the city optimize tax collection when these establishments lose so much business because consumers are discouraged to go out for FEAR of being clamped or towed? Sus.

If it's because of traffic—what traffic? There are very few cars plying those streets during those hours. So if you allow people to park and pay during the day in those public parking areas, even during rush hour when the volume of traffic is at its highest, there is simply no excuse to not allow the same at night. I also invoke the same reason for those who say it's to prevent accidents (refer to previous sentence).

The solution: Put CITOM in areas known to be 24/7 areas like the uptown-Fuente area, and we shall pay the price for parking, just give us those damn parking areas (and stop disturbing our meals, that we have to run out to stop CITOM from clamping our cars every so often! Mga bastos!). Also, enforce the clamping or towing policy in the suburbs, especially those with very narrow roads, where some inconsiderate motorists abuse by parking overnight while taking up so much space.

Giving parking where it is necessary, especially in the dead of night, and towing cars in suburbs with small roads (not in the uptown area with spacious streets)—this is what it means to do things for the safety of the people, not doing things for mere profit!

For now, I'd like to thank Mayor Rama for hearing me out, for waking up and picking up his cellphone at 2:30 a.m. to answer the call from an angry taxpayer. Now that's a public servant. I couldn't wait till morning because the idiocy and harassment have been taking place for years, and I've just had it, couldn't take more bullying from the CITOM. I'm so glad our mayor isn't some arrogant prick who lords it over everyone.

Also, I'd like to thank Councilor Gerry Carillo of the Cebu City council for commenting on my Facebook post on the matter, and for promising to look into the ordinance and its implementation. I hope changes are underway.