'No garage, no car' legislation gets DILG backing to help ease traffic

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Aug 01 2019 09:47 AM | Updated as of Aug 01 2019 04:13 PM

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MANILA - The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday it would ask Congress to come up with a law that prohibits the sale of cars to those who cannot prove that they have parking space. 

Aside from illegal vendors, illegally parked vehicles also contribute to traffic, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told ANC's Headstart.

"The solution here is a no garage, no car policy. But we would need a law for that. We understand that this is a big problem because of the one million vehicles that have no parking," Malaya said.

The DILG will support Senate Bill 201 or the Proof of Parking Space Act filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, he said.

Under the bill, individuals and businesses based in Metro Manila will only be allowed to purchase vehicles after the execution of an affidavit confirming that they have acquired, either through purchase or lease, a parking space the auto purchase.

"We will support that because I think that can be one of the long term solution to our parking problem," he said.

Metro Manila mayors were given 60 days to clear primary and arterial roads in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's order to reclaim all public roads.

"The 60-day countdown started last Monday. We are very happy with the results so far," said Malaya.

Malaya said the DILG would recommend to the President the suspension of Metro mayors who fail to meet the 60-day clearing period.