Ban on parking, squatters on sidewalks sought

MANILA, Philippines — Surigao second district Rep. Bernadette Barbers has filed a measure seeking to regulate the use of sidewalks and public roads in all urban areas to keep thoroughfares clear, ensure public safety and prohibit parking and squatting.

House Bill (HB) 933, or the “Act Regulating the Use of Sidewalks and Public Roads in All Urban Areas and for Other Purposes,” aims to remove sidewalk squatters and illegal parking while promoting urban road discipline.

Barbers said the bill seeks to ease worsening traffic congestion in cities by restoring order and ensuring the rightful use of public roads and sidewalks.

“Urban areas, especially Metro Manila, have become so congested that people do what is convenient for themselves, even at the expense of others,” Barbers said in HB 933.

“Sidewalks are taken over by vendors, forcing pedestrians into the streets. Homeowners and businesses without parking use roads as their private lots. Add illegal terminals and you have total gridlock,” she added.

The lawmaker stressed that roads are not meant for private use and that taxpayers have the right to demand order and accessibility.

Citing studies showing that Metro Manila residents lose hundreds of hours each year in traffic, Barbers warned that this inefficiency significantly impacts economic productivity and quality of life.

The bill seeks to prohibit the use of public roads for parking, business operations or terminals and to allow only temporary uses with permits from local government units (LGUs).

It would also bar LGUs and agencies from designating public roads as parking areas or terminals, even for a fee, and ban any structures or business activities that obstruct sidewalks, while allowing temporary use with special permits.

Under the proposal, violators would face fines ranging from P1,000 to P10,000, and authorities would be empowered to remove obstructions and impound vehicles parked illegally.

“This bill is about restoring discipline, fairness and safety on our streets. Sidewalks are for pedestrians. Roads are for vehicles. When we respect that, we move better as a society,” Barbers said, urging swift congressional action to address urban traffic problems and promote more sustainable and accessible mobility nationwide.