By Paulo Loreto Lim

The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed during its regular session last week a resolution calling on the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to ensure parking spaces are available throughout the city, as a way of alleviating traffic.

According to the legislation, penned by City Councilor Caesar Distrito, city roads are currently congested by illegally parked vehicles “brought about by the insufficiency of parking spaces.”

In addition, he noted, illegally parked vehicles “put the safety of the pedestrians at high risk” and “may cause unprecedented traffic accidents.”

The resolution cited RA 6541, or the National Building Code of the Philippines, and Presidential Decree 1096, issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos, noting Section 303 indicated those applying for business permits must satisfy specific requirements on zoning, land use, structural design, among other aspects. Among the mandates, according to Distrito, are “parking and loading space.”

He also noted, lack of parking spaces could negatively impact businesses, as it may drive away customers./PLL, WDJ