The City Council has approved on final reading an ordinance regulating abandoned, dismantled, inoperable, and junked motor vehicles on public highways, streets, lots, and other similar public properties.
Councilor Jonjie Rodriguez, the author of the ordinance, said the measure they approved Monday seeks to prevent road accidents posed by motor vehicles that have been left unattended in public places by their owners.
“Kung mapapansin mo, napakarami dito sa mga kalsada natin na nakaparadang mga sasakyan na junk at hindi na umaandar. Nakaharang [ang mga] ito sa kalsada at kadalasan sagabal at nag-cau-cause ng traffic. So dito ipinagbabawal na natin iyon. Makatutulong ito sa daloy ng ating trapiko. Ito po ay para sa general welfare ng ating mga motorista. Kapag nawala ito[ng mga abandoned and inopeareble vehicles sa kalsada ay] sila rin ang makikinabang,” Rodriguez said.
He said abandoned vehicles obstruct portions of village streets that could endanger the lives of passersby and other means of transport.
They are also “health hazards” because they can be breeding grounds for rats and other pests.
“Doon sa ordinansa, nire-request natin kay Mayor [Lucilo Bayron] being the implementor of this ordinance na maghanap sila ng designated area for impounding. Ang una nating isina-suggest sana ay itong sa City Engineering Motorpool. Kung sakaling kukulangin pa ‘yan, baka mayroon pang ibang mga vacant lots na pag-aari ng City Government na puwedeng gamitin,” he said.
Rodriguez said the City Traffic Office (CTO) will be authorized to place under its custody inoperable vehicles found along public streets and highways for more than 30 days.
Their owners will be given 15 days to repossess them before the city government decides to either destroy them or sell them in a public auction, he said.
Warehousing fee, on the other hand, will be P200 per day.
Violators face a penalty of P1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 or 60 days of imprisonment or both for the third offense depending upon the discretion of the court.
