We've seen all sorts of blunders and violations these past few months courtesy of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's intensified road-clearing operations. But what the agency came across somewhere in Caloocan City, however, might be a first of its kind.
Edison "Bong" Nebrija, now the head of Task Force Special Operations, shared that a portion of the West Service Road of the North Luzon Expressway has been personalized like a private garage by none other than the governing barangay. This was in a Facebook post on his public page on September 5. According to his caption, motorists were asked to pay P1,000 per month to secure a parking slot; acknowledgment receipts were given in return.
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The barangay even went the extra mile and had the walls painted accordingly with the supposed tenants' names and the license plates of their vehicles—it's actually impressive how organized they are. So what's the big deal, then? Well, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), street parking along this service road is illegal.
The MMDA didn't share whether all the parked vehicles were towed, but it appears the agency's personnel issued parking tickets.
Makes you wonder where all those parking fees went, no? In any case, just let this be a reminder to all motorists in the Metro that just because you pay a certain amount for street parking doesn't mean that parking there is legal. Check with the MMDA or your local government just to be sure. You wouldn't want to wake up to a parking ticket—or worse, a towed car—the next day, would you?