Proposal to hike towing, storage fees gets no objection

No one raised an objection, in yesterday's public hearing, over the proposed ordinance increasing the rates of towing charges and storage fees for vehicles that authorities would take out from tow-away zones in the city and subsequently impound.

Councilor Procopio Fernandez, the proponent of the measure, told the people attending the hearing at the city council that among the causes of congestion in city streets are illegally parked vehicles.

Fernandez got no opposing view as the people even opined that increasing the rates of towing and storage charges would help discipline the drivers from parking their cars at any place they want.

Among the speakers in the hearing were Robin Ong, chairman of the Cebu Truckers Association, Inc., Felix Tagium of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Simeon Velez, chairman of the Southern Cebu Operators and Drivers Association Inc.

Arnel Tancinco, executive officer of the City Traffic Operations Management, also supported the proposal saying that the towing of vehicles has been a big deterrence among vehicle drivers and owners from illegal parking.

The Fernandez proposal calls for raising towing charges from the current P800 to P1,800 for light vehicles, from P1,000 to P2,000 for medium vehicles, and from P1,200 to P2,500 for heavy vehicles.

Two more vehicle categories would also be added: Extra light vehicles with P1,500 towing charge and trailers with P3,000.

The current daily storage fee of P50 for all vehicle categories would be changed. Fernandez suggested to put storage fees into four classifications, such as P100 per day for extra light vehicles, P300 daily for light and medium, P500 daily for heavy, and P2,000 daily for trailers.