Parking Law In The Philippines: Do’s and Dont’s

Now it’s the holiday season, we frequently go out to malls and offices to attend Christmas parties, catch up with friends and family, buy Christmas gifts and décor, and the like. It’s all fun and games until we face the heavy traffic and lack of parking spaces. And because it’s hard to find a parking space, we tend to go out of our homes as early as possible to find a parking space or to park on the side of the street.

While parking in a non-designated area is the fastest solution possible, it can be risky. As a responsible car owner, you need to know these parking do’s and don’ts.

Follow the Parking Policy in the Philippines

The first and most common parking policy in the Philippines is not parking on the side of the road with a “NO PARKING” signage on it. However, you can park on the streets without any No Parking signs as long as it is not a private road with its own car parking rules, and follow these exceptions:

• At or inside the intersection
• Do not block the driveway
• Double Parking
• Within a crosswalk
• Near the vicinity of overpass or footbridges
• Major national roads
• Do not park less than 4 meters from a fire hydrant and the entrance to a fire station
• Do not park less than 6 meters from the intersection of curb lines

Do Not Park or Block the Driveway

Parking in front of someone else’s driveway is a mortal sin. This is not only disrespectful, but it would also be difficult for the occupant to drive out of their garage in case of an emergency.

Good thing there is a No Parking Law in the country, so you don’t need to stress about it. If a vehicle is parked in front of your gate, you can report it to the local government unit responsible and let them do the rest.

Parking Laws in Residential Areas

While each city in Metro Manila has its own parking rules and regulations, you have to know that the villages and subdivisions have also their own specific guidelines. In most luxury real estate subdivisions and luxury houses in the Philippines, they implement strict parking guidelines that each homeowner has to comply with.

These subdivisions and villages strictly adhere to double parking laws and obstruction laws because of narrow roads. Do note that most villages, especially those with luxury real estate, are gated communities so make sure your car doesn’t block the driveway.

Law Parking in Front of the Garage

What if you own multiple cars and they couldn’t both fit inside, is it allowed to park your car in front of your garage? This is a tricky question as this does not obstruct someone else’s driveway but your own, and you aren’t affecting anyone. However, the traffic police may still consider this a traffic violation because it is still obstruction.

Laws Against Sidewalk Parking

That being said, you cannot park along the sidewalk. If your car sticks outside your house and is parked on the sidewalk, it obstructs people from walking freely on the sidewalks and puts them in danger due to the traffic.

Parking on the Street

Street parking can be seen in some cities, such as within the streets of San Lorenzo in Makati City. They charge a fee for parking which is limited up to 3 hours only — but sometimes, that time is all you need. Street parking may not be suitable for all cities due to the size of the streets. Otherwise, it is illegal to park on the side of the street, especially on major thoroughfares.

Consequences of Illegal Parking

The government discourages the public from parking anywhere, that’s why it’s highly recommended to park your vehicle in designated areas only. The consequences will depend on the time, place, and duration of the illegal parking. Illegally parked vehicles will also be subject to the LGU’s or the national government’s traffic rules and regulations. Here are some of the things that would happen if you parked your vehicle illegally:

• Fines
• License Points
• Clamping
• Towing and Impounding

Fines for Illegal Parking Law in the Philippines

These are only some of the illegal parking laws you need to know about. As a responsible car owner, you need to be aware of where to and not to park, as illegal parking can lead to various consequences. For one, the MMDA announced that the penalty or fines have been increased to the following amounts:

Attended Illegal Parking – P200 to P1000

Unattended Illegal Parking – P300 to P2000

Obstruction – P150 to P1000

Free Parking Bill

Due to the increasing need for parking spaces, 2nd District of South Cotabato Representative Peter Miguel filed House Bill No. 5292 entitled “An act requiring business establishments such as but not limited to shopping malls, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, hotels, and similar business, commercial and public establishments to provide free, adequate parking areas for their clientele and providing penalties for violations thereof” or simply the “Free Parking Bill.”

This House Bill seeks to mandate establishments to provide parking spaces for their customers. Rep. Miguel argued that the designated parking facilities are a “basic amenity” and a “matter of courtesy” to protect the interest of the patron or consumer, encourage more trade, and set a “good environment for business.”

The Congressman, in his explanatory note, said that this bill finds support in actual practices in other countries, such as the USA, where establishments provide free parking spaces to their customers.

Parking spaces in commercial establishments in Metro Manila charge P50 per hour, with additional charges per hour.

In the Free Parking Bill, Rep. Miguel defines “legitimate patrons” as any consumer who purchased products or availed services from the establishment. The bill also provides that the consumers can use the parking space of the establishment for at least two hours as long as they spend at least P500.

Rep. Miguel said that consumers who go to establishments that do not have the same parking facilities end up parking on the sidewalk or streets, “which will eventually result in traffic congestion.”

How will the Free Parking Bill Affect Business Owners, Malls, and other Commercial Establishments?

To offset the cost of free parking in these establishments, tax benefits will be provided to all mall owners and other similar establishments once the bill turns into law.

Will More Parking Help Congestion?

According to the Land Transportation Office and MMDA, private cars have taken up 80% of road space based on MMDA’s annual average daily traffic counts. But the data from the Japan International Cooperation Agency found that only 11% of Filipino households own a private car.

Experts and urban planners said that based on the economic phenomenon of induced demand, more roads and spaces can only lead to more frequent car use and eventually worsen road congestion instead of addressing it.

Commuter group AltMobility PH said that opening more roads can lead to induced demand, thus increasing traffic no matter how many roads or spaces will be opened. They added that “if we want to lessen traffic congestion, we have to lessen road dependency and improve public transport and active transport.”

Invest in a Parking Space with Brittany Corporation

With different house and lot properties for sale, Brittany Corporation offers luxury homes in the Philippines that will give you great value for your money and prepare you to have a world-class living experience.

Our Brittany homes are complete with amenities, including a garage to park your vehicle to ensure that you are a law-abiding car owner. We also ensure the safety of our homeowners, that’s why our Brittany homes have guarded entrances, accessibility to malls and recreational places, and other commercial spaces.

Follow our Youtube pages to know more updates about Brittany. You may also contact us to check out the best deals on our house and lot for sale.

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