Conclusion
THE no-nonsense clearing of obstructions along the Mabuhay or Christmas lanes is still in full-blast, in an effort to decongest the designated alternate routes for motorists who want to avoid the monstrous traffic on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa).
The intensified clearing operations are still ongoing, with a total of 1,006 illegally parked vehicles towed since July this year. The operations are being spearheaded by the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT), composed of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) and the Department of Transportation (DoTr). The DoTr’s Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) are also looped in in the operations.
“More than the policies, there’s really no major [or new initiative]…what you have now is strict enforcement,” MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos said. “There is now a conscious effort to enforce the laws not just on roads, also on parking and even [for] illegal vendors [in line with] sidewalk clearing. Doon kami nagsama-sama sa enforcement [It is in these areas where we unite in enforcement].”
Interagency
ACCORDING to Orbos, two teams each from the MMDA’s Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group, Parking Discipline Group and Task Force Anti-Illegal Terminal, together with their counterparts, were initially deployed to clear streets, particularly the 21 routes of the Mabuhay Lanes, of ambulant vendors and road obstructions. The latter includes illegally parked vehicles.
Orbos added that MMDA personnel are also handing out leaflets and flyers to remind motorists and the concerned residents that the alternate routes for Edsa should be free of any form of road obstructions from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
All illegally parked motor vehicles on Edsa and secondary streets of Mabuhay or Christmas Lanes will be towed away and violators will be apprehended and slapped with corresponding fines and penalties. Illegal selling of ambulant vendors with their karitons (push carts) along Edsa will no longer be allowed. Orbos said the MMDA can confiscate the products of these vendors if they receive a refusal to cooperate. He noted there are existing laws relative to the local government units that apply to these situations.
Mabuhay or Christmas Lanes are alternate routes motorists could use during the holiday season from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The MMDA has said the clearing of Mabuhay Lanes is part of its efforts to alleviate the Metro’s worsening traffic situation.
Standoff
FOLLOWING the standoff over the clearing of Mabuhay Lanes between MMDA personnel and the PNP-Highway Patrol Group in the city last year, the local government of San Juan has started to implement one-sided parking in the Greenhills area, San Juan’s shopping hub.
The conflict started in November last year, when members of the MMDA Clearing Team were forced to back down and returned motorcycles they towed after the city government stopped them from continuing towing operations.
“We have an existing ordinance [Ordinance 40, Series of 1998] that was passed during the administration of then-Mayor Jinggoy E. Estrada declaring certain streets as pay-parking zones,” Mayor Guia Gomez said. Walter Pangilinan, officer in charge of the Traffic and Parking Management Office-Greenhills, said that after a series of meetings with the MMDA, it has been agreed that they will implement the one-sided parallel parking instead of the previous diagonal parking.
“Actually bawal naman po talaga mag-park sa kabilang side—isang side lang po ang allowed,” Pangilinan told the BusinessMirror. “Kaso minsan may mga pasaway na mga may-ari ng sasakyan na nagpapa-park doon [It’s really prohibited to park on that side but there are car owners who violate the rules].”
Pangilinan added that they are now very strict with the implementation of the one-side parking. So far, after implementing the new scheme, traffic flow has improved, he claims.
Pay parking
GOMEZ said they are always supportive of national programs, but maintained that public vehicles also pass through some streets in Barangay Greenhills that are considered pay-parking zones.
Gomez added that city officials must also adhere to what’s best for the city and their constituents. “We would, of course, see to it that interagency programs such as this [MMDA clearing operations] will be addressed,” she added. She said some of the MMDA-designated Mabuhay Lanes cover some of those pay-parking zones.
“Inasmuch as we would like to allow them to clear Annapolis and Connecticut streets and Club Filipino Avenue, we have to amend first our ordinance,” Gomez said. “The vehicles parked along the said streets are legal as far as the local law is concerned.”
Gomez was referring to the P30 parking charge for the first three hours and an additional P10 for every succeeding hour. But this move limits the moving traffic on the four-lane street to two lanes.
She, however, assured that the city government “is seriously considering to revisit our old traffic and parking resolutions and ordinances.” On September 19 MMDA personnel towed vehicles along F. Manalo Street up to A. Bonifacio Street.
Motor vehicles that will be hauled by tow trucks during clearing operations will be brought to the LTO/I-ACT impounding area in Tarlac.
The penalty for illegal parking is P3,000.
Image credits: Roy Domingo