MANILA, Philippines ? The proposed Quezon City ordinance to charge fees for parking on certain city streets has the backing of Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, according to councilor Jesus ?Bong? Suntay.

Suntay, the measure?s proponent, said Belmonte had sent him a text message saying he was in favor of the ordinance.

?He sees the need to regulate [parking],? Suntay told reporters at the Kapihan sa Sulo forum.

Open to revisions

Suntay also said city officials were still open to revising the ordinance to incorporate what the people want. But he added that it was vital to implement the parking fee scheme in order to ease traffic flow around certain ?chokepoints? in commercial areas, and to ease the burden of residents whose own driveways are being blocked by cars parked with abandon.

The measure, which would impose parking fees ranging from P20 to P150 on roads near ?places of special interest,? has earned the ire of a group of businessmen, community leaders, transport groups and Church leaders, who complained that it would add to their many burdens.

Speaking in the same forum, Edwin Rodriguez of the Koalisyon Laban sa Parking sa Quezon City said the ordinance was unnecessary since the local government was already rich, and it would kill businesses because customers might stay away due to the parking fees.

Adverse effect

He added it would also adversely affect people who are burdened with rising gas prices and maintenance and repair costs. ?The parking fees would not deter car thieves either,? he said.

Rodriguez also said the Quezon City Parking Authority to be created under the ordinance would also have too much power, and could even get the services of an outside contractor for a management fee of 20 percent.

?This is a potential area of graft,? he warned.

But Suntay said allegations about outsourcing the tasks of the proposed Parking Authority were just misinformation.

?That is the farthest thing from the mind of the Quezon City council. The one that will manage it is the Quezon City Street Parking Authority. It will not be outsourced,? he said.