Lapu-Lapu traffic body to tow, impound illegally parked motor vehicles

CEBU, Philippines - Starting next week, vehicles illegally parked in any public road in Lapu-Lapu City will be towed and impounded.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza will formally announce the implementation next week of a city ordinance that prohibits private and public vehicles from parking on the roadside after she meets with the police and officials of the City Traffic Management System.

Last week, Radaza issued an executive order transferring the functions of the City Traffic Management to the City police department.

The City Traffic Management System will continue to exist but its functions would be limited only to supervision and management.

The city council approved last month an ordinance authorizing towing and impounding of stalled and illegally parked motor vehicles and its attachments including motorcycles in any public road, street, thoroughfare and other public area in the city.

The city council had cited the need to control the use of city and national roads in Lapu-Lapu to avoid traffic problems.

Motorists have complained about vehicles parked on the roadside.

The ordinance states that among the inherent obligation of every local government unit is the preservation of the safety, comfort, and convenience of its inhabitants, as provided for under the General Welfare provision of the Local Government Code.

It said while the city has experienced phenomenal growth in terms of development, this does not come without a price, because the threat to safety, comfort, and convenience to its inhabitants is more emphasized now than before.

Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Florito Pozon said that among the worrisome situations the city faces is the indiscriminate practice of using public areas, such as road, streets, thoroughfares, and other public places, as storage for privately owned motor vehicles and its attachments, including motorcycles, which areas are otherwise, intended to assure and provide for the safety, comfort and convenience of the city's growing inhabitants.

The ordinance also states that this practice cannot be allowed to go on unabated, such that the city is constrained to adopt the "No Garage no vehicle policy", purposely to discourage owning or possessing any type of motor vehicle, including motorcycles, without providing for a privately owned space therefore.

Under the ordinance, the City Traffic Management will establish a towing service section whose function and responsibility is to tow stalled and illegally parked vehicle. (FREEMAN)