VALENZUELA City First District Rep. Weslie Gatchalian will meet on Tuesday the representatives of malls, hospitals, hotels, and even individual parking owners and operators to hear their opinions on his proposed standardization and regulation of parking fees in the country.
“I invited the stakeholders so that we can discuss what is the right rate that is a ‘win-win’ for both the customers and the establishments,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English during the “Tapatan sa Aristocrat” event held in Malate, Manila, on Monday.
It is the second hearing that the House Committee on Trade and Industry, which he chairs, will hold regarding House Bill 3262, otherwise known as the Parking Fees Regulation Act, which he authored.
The first consultation was with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other concerned government agencies, as well as biking and motorist associations. The proposed legislation aims to protect customers who avail themselves of parking facilities from unreasonable parking rates imposed by business operators.
In Metro Manila alone, these can be as high as P800 a day upon the discretion of the establishment or a third-party operator.
Despite exorbitant fees, most parking spaces do not have adequate safety measures to protect the vehicles and personal belongings of the customers, given that operators generally impose a waiver of liability.
With this in mind, Gatchalian has come up with a measure to find an equitable balance that allows parking enterprises a reasonable return on their capital, while protecting consumers’ interest.
“I support our businesses here. I understand that like us, they have also invested in building their parking spaces,” he said of his family’s experience, being involved in the hotel business. “So it’s okay to charge for as long as it’s reasonable for our customers.”
Under HB 3262, establishments that offer parking facilities should charge a standard rate of only P40 per vehicle for up to eight hours plus P10 per succeeding 60 minutes.
A one-time fee of P100 per vehicle will be applied for overnight parking. Also, a grace period of 30 minutes must be given, wherein a customer will not pay the standard parking fee if his or her vehicle enters or exits the premises within the allowed time.
For shopping malls, restaurants, stores and similar establishments, parking cost shall be waived once a patron presents a valid proof of purchase or payment of not less than P1,000. This is on the condition that the parking space is used for a maximum of three hours only.
Provision and maintainance of security in the parking areas will also be required and, at the same time, operators must take full responsibility in case of loss of property or damage to the customer’s automobile will be applied to parking owners or operators.
“Public safety and protection will be the top prority because this is trade related. We will mandate the establishment to put high-definition CCTVs and security guards,” Gachalian said, while citing the installment of one CCTV and deployment of a security personnel per 100 and 200 parking slots, respectively.
What’s more, any person or establishment who violates the provisions of the bill will be fined not less than P150,000 [for each customer victimized] for collecting an overpriced parking fee, or imprisonment from one to three years, upon the discretion of the court. If an establishment violates the policy for several time, this will be a ground for closure, according to him.
Gatchalian said the provisions of HB 3262 imay be revised depending on the hearing’s outcome. Once passed into law, the Department of Trade and Industry will oversee compliance with this measure, while the Metropolitan Manila development Authority (MMDA), the National Police and other state agencies will help in its proper implementation.
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