MMDA: Illegally Parked Cars along Mabuhay Lanes Will Be Fined

Starting August 31, Friday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will start imposing fines on illegally parked vehicles along Mabuhay Lanes.

MMDA will be monitoring all 17 listed Mabuhay Lanes from 6 AM to 9 PM for illegally parked vehicles. Violators face a fine of PHP200 for illegal parking, PHP150 for disobeying traffic signs, and PHP150 for obstruction.

"Motorists who do not have parking space have long been using major thoroughfares and the Mabuhay lanes as their own parking area," MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said during the announcement of the crackdown. "This practice has to stop."

"Traffic enforcers are instructed to issue citation ticket to vehicle owners. For unattended vehicles, tickets will be attached to their windshields," Garcia added.

The MMDA plans to deploy over 1,000 traffic enforcers to address the "hard-headed vehicle owners who defy the MMDA’s illegal parking rules," Garcia said.

Towing services will not be used on illegally parked vehicles along Mabuhay Lanes to "decrease incidents of corruption and illegal towing activities." They will instead be used on the inner roads upon the request of Metro Manila local government units (LGUs).

Last week, the Metro Manila Council (MMC) agreed to raise the fine for illegally parked vehicles in the metro, from PHP200 to PHP1,000 for attended illegally parked vehicles, and from PHP300 to PHP2,000 for the unattended ones. However, official implementation of the higher fines is still awaiting the approval of the MMC's Special Traffic Committee.