Free parking for clients of malls, other establishments pressed

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers wants to regulate the imposition and collection of fees for the use of parking spaces and facilities in shopping malls, hospitals, schools, hotels and similar establishments.

He laments that vehicle own- ers are often forced to pay exorbitant fees for parking even if malls and other establishments are already earning from the sale of their products and services.

"A parking fee often costs as much as R180 for a number of hours, an amount which most Filipinos can barely afford. This may also be one of the reasons why streets in highly urbanized areas are clogged with parked areas as street parking is less costly, " Barbers said.

The chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs filed House Bill (HB) 5041 which provides that shopping malls, hospitals, schools, hotels and similar establishments shall provide parking spaces for their customers free of charge.

Barbers proposes that a customer shall be charged a reasonable amount not exceeding R100 per vehicle for a maximum of eight hours and an additional R10 per succeeding hour.

For overnight parking, a customer shall be charged a reasonable amount not exceeding R200 per vehicle.

A customer shall be given a grace period of 30 minutes, wherein the customer shall not be charged a parking fee for the use of the parking space for not more than 30 minutes.

HB 5041 provides that the parking fee shall be waived once a customer presents a validated proof of purchase or payment of not less than R500, provided that the customer used the parking space for a maximum of three hours only and that customers who parked their vehicle for more than three hours shall be charged the standard rate.