Can street parking really be abolished forever?
Everything in this world has a flipside.
One of the most notable examples is the rise of electrified vehicles in the Philippines – plug-in-hybrid and battery-electric vehicles not only offer better performance and cheaper maintenance than the equivalent non-electrified car, but also reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and emit far fewer harmful emissions.
But take a peep into the Facebook groups of these wheeled wonders and you’ll find complaints abound of owners hogging charging stations for hours on end, such that other drivers who had planned their trip to include a recharge must now find nearby alternatives.
But this seemingly petty squabble among a fledgling segment of the car market is actually an offshoot of a problem that Metro Manila has long faced – illegal street parking. This is, perhaps, the biggest flipside to our country’s impressive car sales, with industry estimates expecting a record-breaking 500,000 units this year.
With nowhere to put their cars, Filipinos have long taken to public roads to safekeep their prized rides. And we know the consequences all too well – greater road congestion, inaccessible walkways and blocked driveways.
The proposal
Although street parking is regulated by the local governments, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are proposing a more widespread measure.
The DILG recommended banning street parking in Metro Manila from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., with local governments mapping out key roads and major thoroughfares where the ban would be enforced. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla urged mayors to finalize a unified no-parking policy by Sept. 1.
Meanwhile, the MMDA said the ban should be during the “rush hours” of 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. – these are also the implementation hours of the MMDA’s controversial number-coding scheme.
The reactions
The Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) lauded the move, saying that Republic Act 4136 or the “Land Transportation and Traffic Code” already prohibits street parking.
“Illegally parked vehicles are a persistent obstruction – not only to traffic flow but also to emergency services,” the group said in a statement.
“Even during the night, when traffic volume may be low, parked vehicles can block access for fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency responders during critical situations,” it added.
Meanwhile, transport group PISTON slammed the government’s proposed measure and instead lay blame on the MMDA’s number-coding system, arguing that Filipinos bought additional cars to circumvent the scheme, which are then parked outside their homes.
“People used to own just one car, but when number coding was implemented, that’s when there were more vehicles,” PISTON president Mody Floranda said in an interview with DZMM on Monday.
The solutions
The LCSP said the street-parking ban is only a “band-aid solution,” with the group recommending a mandatory proof-of-parking law and public-transport reform as long-term solutions.
“This will discourage indiscriminate parking and promote responsible vehicle ownership,” it said.
“If commuting becomes a safe, reliable, and efficient option, many Filipinos will choose not to purchase private vehicles,” the LCSP added. “A single bus, for instance, can transport up to 50 passengers while occupying far less road space than 50 private cars.”
Since 1962, Japan (where long-term roadside parking is banned nationwide) has been requiring people to obtain a parking certificate (also known as shako shomeiso) from the local police before they can buy or register their private vehicles. The applicant must present proof of a suitably sized parking space within 2 kilometers of their registered address.
Exceptions are applied for smaller kei cars, which have strict size limitations, but proof of parking is still required in parts of the capital city Tokyo. In the Philippines, the last time that a proof-of-parking law was proposed was in 2022 under House Bill No. 31 of then-Rep. Lord Allen Velasco.
Such legislation will likely face stiff opposition from both automotive and motorcycle manufacturers, which are both riding high on the aforementioned record-breaking sales figures. As ever, it boils down to the flipside that is fought hardest (potentially lower vehicle sales versus less road congestion).
But will we live long enough for a viable solution to come true?
