Senate studying proposed Proof-of-Parking Space Act

THE SENATE is studying a bill that would require prospective car owners to present proof that they have a parking space for the newly purchased vehicle.
The Senate committee on trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship has formed a technical working group to further study Senate Bill No. 201 or the proposed Proof-of-Parking Space Act. Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, author of the bill, said this will help ease traffic congestion and also instill responsible vehicle ownership among Filipinos.
“The concept really here is responsibility when you buy vehicles. We are now putting the responsibility on the car owners. If you buy cars, you have to make sure that you have a parking space for your own vehicle,” Mr. Gatchalian said in a statement.
“I think this is quite relevant at this time because, if you try to pass the side streets to avoid traffic in major thoroughfares, there is a greater chance that you’ll get stuck in traffic due to the cars parked along the narrow streets,” he added.
Under the proposed measure, individuals and businesses based within Metro Manila must submit to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) an affidavit proving that each of their vehicle has a parking space, either purchased or leased. The affidavit would be one of the requirements for registration of the vehicles.
The proposed bill also requires the LTO, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and local government units to conduct periodic ocular inspections in Metro Manila to remove illegally parked vehicles and to penalize noncompliant vehicle owners.
Any concerned individual may also report to the three agencies any motor vehicles parked on the streets or pathways used for pedestrian and motor vehicle.
“It is better to have a national policy so that the local governments may impose that national law. The local government (is) also quite sensitive to the comments of their own constituency. In this proposal, we are giving them ample time to locate their own parking spaces,” Mr. Gatchalian said. — Camille A. Aguinaldo