CEBU, Philippines - Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday inaugurated the 1.9 hectare idle lot beside the main entrance of the Asiatown IT Park in barangay Lahug that the province had converted into a pay parking facility.
“Obviously, more revenues and with more revenues, we can serve our people with more projects and programs,” Garcia said in a press conference that followed.
She also assured that the system that would be used will make the pay parking free from fraud and mishandlings.
Present during the inauguration were Provincial Board Members Agnes Magpale, Wenceslao Gakit, Peter John Calderon, and Capitol department heads.
Charles Vincent Ong, one of the owners of Trans Global Universal business towers inside the IT Park, told reporters that the new parking lot will benefit them a lot because it will provide easy parking for their clients.
The TGU tower has 316 car park slots within but Ong said the province-run parking lot outside will be more accessible to their walk-in clients.
The new parking zone is located in front of the TGU tower.
“Our parking area in the building is for a first come, first served basis. So dako kaayo ug ikatabang ang parking area sa probinsya,” Ong said.
The idle lot became an income-generating venture through a resolution passed by the Provincial Economic Enterprise Council last January, which sought to convert the lot into a parking space.
The Provincial Board subsequently passed a resolution adopting PEEC’s proposal and said the proposed parking rates are reasonable.
The province will be collecting P20 for the first two hours and P10 for each succeeding hour for every car. Buses will have to pay P40 for the first two hours and P20 for every succeeding hour while motorcycles are charged P10 for the first two hours and P5 for every succeeding hour.
These rates are similar to the parking rates the province has imposed for vehicles parked inside the Capitol premises.
In the midst of a legal battle over the imposed parking fees at the Capitol grounds, Calderon believes the province is exempted from paying real property taxes to the city, as far as the parking lot is concerned because the province is not a private entity.
Garcia, however, said the scenario should not be pre-empted and that the province will make a stand when necessary.
“If the city will question, then we will make our stand. As it is, it’s still speculative,” she said. — Garry B. Lao/JMO (THE FREEMAN)