Street parking in Metro Manila may soon face tighter restrictions under a region-wide policy aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving urban livability.
Among the measures being studied are peak-hour limits and possible 24-hour bans on parking along certain roads to ensure smoother traffic flow and safer road use.
The policy, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), is set to be finalized by September 1 and may initially cover secondary and tertiary roads before expanding nationwide.
These proposals were discussed during a joint meeting of the DILG, the Metro Manila Council (MMC), and the Regional Development Council on August 1 at Camp Crame, Quezon City, attended by all 17 mayors of the National Capital Region.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the initiative follows a step-by-step approach to making Metro Manila “more livable, more cohesive, and safer,” beginning with stricter parking rules.
“The law says that public streets are not for public enterprise, and we consider parking a private enterprise. It is a private car on a public street,” he said.
Remulla added that local chief executives would identify specific no-parking areas in their jurisdictions, with a “whole city map” indicating where parking is prohibited.
One proposal under review calls for a blanket no-parking rule on all public streets, especially those affecting major traffic flow, while another suggests a time-based model similar to Makati City’s ordinance, which bans parking during rush hours.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes recommended prohibiting side-street parking between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., noting that parking could be allowed outside peak hours in some areas.
During the meeting, “non-contact” enforcement—penalizing illegal parking without direct physical intervention—was also discussed, while a total ban on inner-street parking remains under consideration amid concerns from mayors about its practicality.
MMC President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora suggested that idle streets could still allow one-side parking, while Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay warned that imposing a sweeping ban on secondary and tertiary roads may be difficult without thorough mapping by a technical working group (TWG).
The MMDA, citing a Supreme Court ruling affirming its exclusive authority over traffic enforcement in Metro Manila, stressed that parking on major thoroughfares, including EDSA and Mabuhay Lanes, remains “absolutely prohibited” and “non-negotiable.”
Furthermore, officials emphasized that while Metro Manila will serve as the pilot area, the goal is to implement similar coordinated traffic and parking policies in other parts of the country.
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