Lawmaker wants parking space prerequisite for car buyers

A new bill seeks to require car buyers living in metropolitan areas to secure a parking space before purchasing and registering a vehicle with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The bill, filed by Representative Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco, aims to “lessen traffic congestion, curb the number of private vehicles, provide safe and uncluttered pathways, where people may freely walk to their destinations, and maintain a clean and healthy environment by clearing streets of parked motor vehicles and other similar clutter that reduce the space intended for human and vehicular traffic.”

Per the proposed legislation, any person living in the metropolitan areas who intend to purchase a motor vehicle “shall be required to execute an affidavit which shall be acknowledged before a notary public, attesting to the availability of a permanent parking space or facility or that a parking space or facility has been leased or procured specifically for the purpose of parking a motor vehicle.”

The affidavit, according to the bill, should be presented to the LTO upon registration of the vehicle.

Having a designated parking space is actually good not only for traffic but also for the vehicle itself. Parking in a garage or a parking lot means that your car is less at risk of accidental damages like scratches, dents, or any untoward incident that may occur on public roads.

Should the bill pass into law, car buyers living in National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-identified metropolitan areas such as Metro Manila, Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Dagupan, Davao, Iloilo, Naga, Olongapo, or in areas traffic congestion is prevalent, will be required to adhere to the “No Garage, No Registration Act.”

Offenders will be fined P50,000 plus revocation of their LTO registration. The vehicle owner will also be suspended from registering a motor vehicle under his or her name for a period of three years.

Additionally, any officer or employee of the LTO who has allowed the registration of a vehicle without the necessary affidavit shall be suspended from the office for a period of three months — with no pay.

While Representative Velasco’s proposal might help alleviate metropolitan traffic, it’s still obvious that the government should improve the public transport system as preventing people from purchasing private vehicles will only push them to take public trains, buses, and jeepneys. Given the current state of the said sector, it would be ideal for the “No Garage, No Registration Act” to be implemented with corresponding moves to improve the country’s public transportation.

Photo from Congressman Lord Allan Jay Velasco’s Facebook Page

Also read: 

CAMPI-TMA sales rise by 17% in H1 2022

In the know: Things you need before you get a motorcycle

In the know: How to secure a driver’s license