MMDA Wants Stricter Towing, Impounding Guidelines

During the meeting of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) on June 21, Thursday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) presented its intention to strengthen its guidelines on towing and impounding operations in the metro to the mayors that made up the council.

The decision comes after the Guadalupe Nuevo-headquartered agency raided the office of an illegal towing service that reportedly operated along the South Super Highway in Makati City on Wednesday, June 20.

MMDA Assistant General Manager For Planning Jojo Garcia said that his agency will develop a master list of all MMDA-accredited towing service operators, as well as create and implement more stringent measures that will serve as a guideline for all authorized towing services to follow.

Garcia also said that towing services in the National Capital Region should obtain a license to operate from the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

"A certification of road worthiness from LTFRB should be issued to towing service vehicles," said Garcia. "This way, we can easily detect and monitor towing service operators both legal and illegal, those fly-by-night towing operators,” he added, emphasizing that “all unmarked towing service vehicles are definitely illegal."

Last Wednesday, MMDA apprehended two colorum towing trucks owned by the PMA Towing Company after receiving reports that the operators were charging owners of towed vehicles up to PHP11,500 for their service without providing an official receipt.