Prevent being wheel-clamped: Know where and when to park in Makati

MANILA, Philippines - Vehicles caught illegally parked on the streets of Makati City's central business district (CBD) will be wheel-clamped by enforcers of the Makati Parking Authority (MAPA) the city government said Wednesday.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said it was necessary to refresh the memory of the public in light of the recent amendment of the Makati Traffic Code to integrate the city government-sanctioned on-street parking regulations at CBD and authorize the use of wheel clamps on illegally parked vehicles instead of having them towed.

The on-street parking project is a public-private partnership between the city government and MAPA since the early 1990s.

“I believe that motorists, tourists, other stakeholders and the public in general should be made fully aware of onstreet parking rules at the CBD to obtain their cooperation in maintaining order in the streets and smooth traffic flow,” Binay said.

Under the parking rules currently implemented at the CBD, parking is allowed only within spaces marked with white “T” lines and for a maximum period of three hours only. Upon the expiration of the allotted three-hour limit for parking, a vehicle will be deemed “illegally parked.”

White “T” lines slots, designated either at one-side or both-side parking, allow parking of vehicles from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

Motorcycles are charged parking fees at P20.00 per hour, and other vehicles at P40.00 for the first 2 hours, and P50.00 for the next one hour. All vehicles that exceed the 3-hour limit will be wheel- clamped.

However, a time restriction is implemented in particular streets wherein parking at specific periods is considered as “illegal parking” and the vehicle will be towed.

The Legaspi Village streets with white “T” lines that allow either one-side parking or both-side parking are the following: Zone 1 - Salcedo (VA Rufino-Gamboa), Salcedo (Aguirre-Benavidez), Benavidez, Aguirre, Trasierra, Gamboa, Rada-B, Jimenez and Soria. For Zone 2 - Sotto, Legaspi, Bolanos, Esteban and Dela Rosa Car Park 3.

In Zone 3 of Legaspi Village, the streets with white “T” lines are Rodriguez, Dela Rosa Car Park 2, Rada and Carlos Palanca. For Zone 4, Gallardo, Dela Rosa Park 1, Perea and Nieva. White “T” lines are also found in the Apartment Ridge area (behind Manila Peninsula), Sto. Tomas and Apartment Ridge in-Active.

In Salcedo Village, white “T” lines slots for one-side parking only are designated in the following: Zone 1 - Valero Car Park 4, Valero Car Park 3, Valero, San Agustin, Leviste (Dela Costa – VA Rufino), Lakandula, Tordesillas, Bautista and Dela Costa. For Zone 2, Valero, Valero Car Park 1, Valero Car Park 2, San Agustin, Leviste (Dela Costa – Villar), Soliman, Tordesillas, Bautista, Dela Costa and Puyat Service Road.

From 7 p.m. onwards, free parking is allowed in the above-mentioned streets and areas with white “T” lines.

The streets covered by the time restriction are as follows: Amorsolo (Dela Rosa – Urban, Zone 2), Amorsolo (Dela Rosa – VA Rufino, Zone 2) and Legaspi (, Zone 3), all in Legaspi Village, which disallow parking from 7am to 10am, and from 5pm to 7pm. One-side or both-side parking is allowed from 10am to 5pm in said areas. For Salcedo Village, Leviste (VA Rufino – Sedeño, Zone 1) and Leviste (Villar - Velasquez, Zone 2) parking is not allowed from 5pm to 7 pm. One-side parking is allowed from 7am to 5pm.

Meanwhile, parking spaces in Legaspi Village and Salcedo Village marked with yellow “T” lines are reserved for the clients and staff of banks, embassies and consulates. While parking for said authorized groups is allowed any time, loading or unloading is not allowed in certain streets. Users pay parking fees for these slots to MAPA on a monthly basis.

The Makati Traffic Code initially designated the parking slots at the CBD, and MAPA was subsequently authorized by City Ordinance No. 45, series of 1988 to designate or disallow streets to be used for parking at the CBD.

Such actions are submitted for approval by the MAPA Board of Trustees chaired by Mayor Binay. The MAPA Board of Trustees are composed of three representatives from the city government, three from Makati Commercial Estates Association Inc., three from Ayala Land Inc., and two from Makati Chamber of Commerce.

The integration of the onstreet parking regulations in the Makati Traffic Code was enacted through City Ordinance No. 2013-A-061 on December 10, 2013, and took effect on February 5, 2014. It was first published in a newspaper of local circulation on January 21, and subsequently on January 28 and February 3, 2014.