Mailmen seek exemption from illegal parking law

CEBU – While private towing companies are very active in carrying out their task of impounding vehicles found illegally parked on roadsides of Cebu City, mail carriers of the Philippine Postal Corporation have asked the city to exempt them from the said campaign.

Postal Inspector Bernardo Margate had sent a letter-request to Councilor Hilario Davide III seeking the exemption of 64 city mail carriers from complying with the ordinance which prohibits the parking of motorcycles on city roadsides, even on top of the road gutters.

Margate said the existing ordinance has greatly hindered the door-to-door delivery of mails, as mail carriers would normally leave their motorcycles on roadsides to deliver letters particularly if a house is located in an interior portion of a certain sitio or barangay.

He cited that there were already instances in which motorcycles of mail carriers were towed by the said towing firms.

According to Margate, the P1,500 towing fee and P100 administrative fine are too much for a letter carrier who is only receiving a monthly net take-home pay of P5,000.

“Our office will abide by the rules to be imposed in line with the granting of exemption, like the wearing of complete uniform and identification cards,” he said.

The request of the mail carriers was referred for further study to the council committee on traffic management chaired by Councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba and committee on laws headed by councilor Edgardo Labella.

The City Traffic Operations Management will be asked also to give its comment on the request of mail carriers.

Aside from the Road Warriors Towing Services, Mayor Tomas Osmeña also approved the operation of another towing firm to help in the impounding of vehicles - particularly motorcycles - found illegally parked, thus obstructing the flow of pedestrians. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)