San Juan to lose P2.5M monthly amid ban on pay parking on streets

MMDA chair Gen. Danilo Lim and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the posting of “No Parking” sign as the city implemented the Executive Order No. FMZ-007, an order suspending pay parking in all the streets of the City of San Juan, starting on Monday, August 5, 2019. Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Roughly P2.5 million will be lost per month by the local government of San Juan after Mayor Francis Zamora formally implemented on Monday the ban on pay parking along the streets of the city.

Zamora said that around 300 parking slots around San Juan will be affected by Executive Order Number 07 that prohibits pay parking on all the city’s streets, including Mabuhay lanes.

READ: San Juan City suspends street pay parking scheme

“We’re gonna lose P2-2.5 million pesos a month. Pero isipin niyo yung perwisyong nadudulot nito sa lahat ng motoristang dumadaraan — yung oras, yung gasolina, yung stress,” Zamora said in an interview during his inspection near Greenhills Shopping Center.

“We’re only talking about a total of around 300 parking slots that will be removed, pero isipin niyo naman yung libo-libong motorista na napwe-perwisyo nitong 300 slots nito araw-araw,” he added.

Zamora also said that the public has other options in parking space. He noted that there were some parking buildings in San Juan that are open for 24 hours while some are open as early as 5 a.m.

Zamora further stressed that the Greenhills Shopping Center also offers around 4,000 parking slots for motorists to use.

“Alam mo 4,000 ang available dito sa Greenhills Shopping Center na dati dahil mas convenient na pumarada sa kalye, pinipili nila na sa kalye pumarada pero nakaka-perwisyo naman sila sa mas nakakarami,” he said.

“Ngayon, ba-byahe lang naman sila ng kaonting-kaonti, ilang metro lang naman po para pumasok sa 4,000 parking slots ng Greenhills Shopping Center. Ang binabayad naman nila dati, yun rin naman ang halaga na binabayad niyo sa shopping center,” he added.

Zamora said that this move of the local government of San Juan is in line with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to “reclaim” the public roads in Metro Manila.

READ: Duterte orders Año: Suspend mayors, governors refusing to clear public roads

This is also in compliance to the order of the Department of Interior and Local Government to clean up the streets in just a span of 60 days.

READ: DILG to LGUs: Clear roads in 60 days or face probe

“Kami sa Lungsod ng San Juan ay sumusuporta sa direktibang ito […] sapagkat hindi naman kami pwedeng magkaroon ng pay parking sa kalye kung ang direktiba ng Presidente ay tanggalin ang lahat ng sasakyang nakaparada,” Zamora said. /je