Naga City to implement parking fee system

By Kim Villafuerte

To address parking issues and promote efficient use of urban space, an ordinance authored by Hon. Jose B. Perez was proposed during the 85th Sangguniang Panlungsod session on April 2, 2024. The proposed ordinance aims to regulate street parking through the establishment of a parking fee system.

In an interview, Perez said that due to vehicle owners utilizing the streets as their personal parking space for extended periods of time, the ordinance was authored, supervising the use of streets in the Central Business District (CBD) and the university belt of Naga to maximize and accommodate other drivers and lessen the parking congestion issue surrounding the areas as mentioned earlier.

As mandated by the proposal, the parking fee system will permit a maximum parking duration of three hours per vehicle, both private and public, accompanied by a fee ranging between 20 to 30 pesos.

Initially, the ordinance will only apply in the Central Business Districts (CBD) and the university belt of Naga. However, if the ordinance is passed and proves successful, the city will consider including more areas.

“Maexpand kita pag nahiling ta nang in one or two years, successful po si paid parking within the Central Business District,” Perez said.

Additionally, for smoother transactions, he mentioned that they are considering GCash as a payment option for parkers.

According to Perez, there is currently no specific date targeted for implementing the proposed ordinance as it needs further refinement. The proposal must undergo several hearings and consultations first, especially since it involves the collection of fees.

The proposed ordinance is still up for public hearing before they resubmit it to the plenary for final disposition.

Moreover, the fee collected from the proposed ordinance will be deposited into the city’s treasury.