MMC OKs reso banning street parking on selected Metro Manila roads

The Metro Manila Council (MMC) has passed a resolution that bans street parking on selected roads within the National Capital Region.

The resolution bans parking on national primary roads, while parking along national secondary roads is only allowed during specific hours.

“Kailangan pong magpasa ng ordinansa kasi mayroong mga kalsada na allowed ang LGUs mag-regulate. Insofar as yung mga ban naman, defined naman yan. Yun naman pong national secondary road, pwede po depende sa ordinansa ng bawa’t siyudad at LGU, pwedeng i-regulate ang pagpa-park pwera lamang pag 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., which is yung rush hour,” said MMDA Chairman Romando Artes during the joint MMC and Regional Development Council meeting with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday.

(We need to pass an ordinance because there are roads that LGUs are allowed to regulate. In so far as the bans, it is defined. It is allowed on secondary roads depending of the ordinance of every city and LGU, parking can be regulated except for 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., which is the rush hour.)

Based on MMDA Regulation No. 25-001, parking is to be banned in the following areas, among others:

• C1: C. M. Recto Avenue (from Roxas Boulevard to Legarda St.),
• C.M. Recto (from Mel Lopez Blvd. [R10] to Legarda St.)
• C2: Pres. Quirino Avenue (from Roxas Boulevard to R10),
• Pres. Quirino Ave. (from Paz Mendoza Guazon Ave. [Otis St.) to Roxas Blvd.),
• C3: Araneta Avenue (N. Domingo to R10): G. Araneta Ave. (Quezon City, 1" District) (from Sto. Domingo Ave. to Quezon Ave.), G. Araneta Ave. (Quezon City, 4" District) (from Quezon Ave. to Ramon Magsaysay Blvd./Aurora Blvd.), G. Araneta Ave, (Quezon City, 4" District) (from Ramon Magsaysay Blvd./Aurora Bivel. to N. Domingo St.):
• C4: Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (from Monumento Circle to Macapagal Avenue), EDSA (Caloocan City, 2* District - SB): (Caloocan City, 1" District - NB) (from Bonifacio Monument Circle to Balintawak Cloverleaf), EDSA (Quezon City, 1" District - SB): (Quezon City, 1" and G* District - NB) (from Balintawak Cloverleaf to Quezon Ave.), EDSA (Quezon City, 4" District - SB): (Quezon City, 3" District - NB) (from Quezon Ave. to V.V. Soliven/White Plains), EDSA (San Juan City, Lone District); (City of Mandaluyong, Lone District -NIB) (from V.V. Soliven/White Plains to Guadalupe Bridge), EDSA (City of Makati, 1" District); (City of Makati, 2"' District - NB) (after Guadalupe Bridge to Evangelista St.), EDSA (Pasay City Lone District - SB and NB) (from Evangelista St. to Roxas Blvd.)
• C5: Katipunan / C. P. Garcia (Commonwealth Avenue to South Super Highway ): Mindanao Ave. (from NLEX-Mindanao Avenue Link to Congressional Avenue), C5 Road (Katipunan Ave.) (Quezon City, 3"' District) (from Capitol Hills Drive to C.P. Garcia Ave.), C5 Road (Katipunan Ave.) (Quezon City, 3" District) (from C.P. Garcia Ave, to Boni Serrano Ave.)
• C6: Southeast Metro Manila Expressway
• R1: Roxas Boulevard (P. Burgos to NAIA Road):
• Roxas Blvd. (City of Paranaque, 1st District) (from NAIA Road to Russell St.),
• Roxas Blvd. (Pasay City, Lone District) (from Russell St. to Vicente Sotto St.),
• Roxas Blvd. (Manila City, 5th District) (from Vicente Sotto St. to P. Burgos/ Katigbak St.)
• R2: Taft Avenue (from Lawton to Redemptorist):
• Taft Avenue (City of Paranaque, 1st District) (from Quirino Ave/F.B. Harrison St. to Parañaque City & Pasay City Boundary), Taft Avenue (City of Pasay, Lone District) (from Parañaque City & Pasay City Boundary to Pasay City & Manila City Boundary),
• Taft Avenue (Manila City, 5th District) (from Pasay City & Manila City Boundary to Arroceros St./ A. Villegas St.)
• R3: Osmeña Highway or South Super Highway (from Quirino Avenue to Nichols Interchange), South Super Highway (Manila City, 5' District) (from Pres. Quirino Ave. to Ampre St. (near Zobel Roxas St.), South Super Highway (City of Makati, 1" District) (from Ampre St. near Zobel Roxas St. to Magallanes Flyover near EDSA Magallanes Interchange), South Super Highway West Service Road (City of Makati, 2nd District) (from Maricaban Creek to Maricaban Bridge), South Super Highway West Service Road (Pasay City, Lone District) (from Maricaban Bridge to Boundary Pasay City & Parañaque City), South Super Highway West Service Road (City of Parañaque, 2 District) (from Boundary Pasay City & Parañaque City to Boundary Parañaque City and Muntinlupa City), South Super Highway West Service Road (City of Muntinlupa, Lone District (from Boundary Parañaque City and Muntinlupa City to Near Mangangate River), South Super Highway East Service Road (City of Paranaque, 2nd District) (from Nichols to Boundary Parañaque City and Muntinlupa City), South Super Highway East Service Road (City of Muntinlupa, Lone District) (from Boundary Parañaque City and Muntinlupa City to PPTA Road (Montillano St.), Maharlika Highway (City of Muntinlupa, Lone District) (from PPTA Road [Montillano St.] to Muntinlupa Bridge/Tunasan River)
• R4: J. P. Rizal (from intersection of Pedro Gil Tejeron, Manila City to P. Zamora, Taguig City)
• R5: Ortigas Avenue (from Santolan to Imelda Avenue): Ortigas Ave. (from EDSA to Dr. Sixto Ave.)
• R6: Marcos Highway / Magsaysay Boulevard / Aurora Boulevard (from Legarda St.  Ramon Magsaysay to C5 Katipunan): Ramon Magsaysay Blvd. (from A.H. Lacson Ave. to G. Araneta Ave.), Aurora Blvd. (Quezon City, 4" District) (from G. Araneta Ave. to EDSA), Aurora Blvd. (Quezon City, 3"' District) (from EDSA to Barangca Viaduct (Flyover) [Near C5 Katipunan]), Marcos Highway (from Barangca Viaduct [Flyover) [Near CS Katipunan) to Pambuli St. [Boundaryl):
• R7: España Boulevard / Quezon Avenue / Commonwealth Avenue (from Carlos Palanca to Quezon Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue to Mindanao Avenue), España Blvd. (from Nicanor Reyes St. to Welcome Rotonda), Quezon Ave. (from Welcome Rotonda to Welcome Quezon City Memorial Circle), Commonwealth Ave. (from Quezon City Memorial Circle to Doña Carmen St.), Fairview Ave. (Commonwealth Ave.) (from Doña Carmen St. to Quirino Highway)
• R8: A. Bonifacio Avenue (from Blumentritt to EDSA Balintawak): A. Bonifacio Ave. (Quezon City, 1" District) (from Blumentritt St./Calavite St. to Balintawak Cloverleaf):
• R9: Rizal Avenue / McArthur Highway (from Carriedo to Monumento, Caloocan City): J. Rizal Ave. (from Carriedo St. to Maligaya Creek [Manila City & Caloocan City Boundary)
• R10: Del Pan; 2nd St. to Navotas Terminal
• Bonifacio Drive: P. Burgos St. to 2nd St.
• Elliptical Road
• Mindanao Avenue
• Marcos Highway
• Dr. A. Santos Avenue (Sucat Road)
• Ninoy Aquino Avenue
• Shaw Boulevard
• Boni Avenue
• Alabang-Zapote Road

Christmas rush

Artes said that it was up to local government units to regulate other non-national roads, and that penalties for violators would have to follow the traffic code.

“Hopefully, bago magkaroon ng Christmas rush, ma-implement na ito para maibsan [ang traffic]. Alam naman natin na pag lumalapit yung Pasko, bumibigat yung daloy ng traffic. We must ensure na free sa obstruction yung mga pangunahing lansangan,” he added.

(Hopefully, before the Christmas rush begins, we can implement this to ease [traffic]. We all know that once Christmas approaches, traffic begins to worsen. We must ensure that the primary roads are free of obstruction.)

The mayors also said some roads will be exempt from the ordinances, such as Mabuhay Lanes and those near some markets in Manila.

“May areas talaga na, katulad sa Manila, na non-negotiable, and some we are trying to [keep up] with the demand sa kanilang kalsada... [Pero] pag malaki, like in the case of Recto na sobrang lapad, yung isang portion doon hinahayaan naming makapagdeliver at makapag-supply, at makapagdistribute yung aming mga negosyante sa area na ‘yun,” said Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

(There really are areas, like in Manila, that are non-negotiable, and some where we are trying to [keep up] with the demand for the road… [But] if it’s wide enough, like in the case of Rector that’s very wide, we allow entrepreneurs to deliver, supply and distribute in one portion.)

“It depends on how wide ang aming kalsada,” he added.

(It depends on how wide our roads are.)

Parking fees

MMC president and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora also acknowledged the need for parking, which he noted is now under discussion by LGUs.

Moreno also said parking fees will continue in areas where parking is allowed.

“Mahalaga na hindi ito total street parking ban… You have also to consider the reality on the ground. Saan paparada ang mga sasakyan? The LGUs can now determine ano bang mga kalye namin ang pwedeng paradahan na di naman magiging sagabal sa traffic kung sakaling payagan naming paradahan ito, lalong lalo na ang mga emergency vehicle,” Zamora asked.

(What’s important is that this isn’t a total street parking ban… You have also to consider the reality on the ground. Where will the cars park? The LGUs can now determine which of their roads can be parked at that won’t obstruct traffic if ever, especially emergency vehicles.)

“Hindi lang parking fees [ang tuloy], pwede parin sila magparada. There are areas that [hindi pwede] hayaan na hindi paradahan… Sususugan ko ulit yung sinabi ni mayor Zamora, we cannot just have it totally banned all of a sudden na parang mawawala yung sasakyan. You have to study first the economic repercussion of this total ban,” Moreno added.

(We won’t just [continue] traffic fees, they are still allowed to park. There are areas that [we can’t] allow them not to park there… I am reiterating what mayor Zamora said, we cannot just have it totally banned all of a sudden like the cars will just disappear. You have to study first the economic repercussion of this total ban.)

Meanwhile, MMDA also noted that it would be impossible to regulate the purchase of cars to mitigate traffic, considering the economy and the lack of alternative transport solutions. — BM, GMA Integrated News