BAGUIO CITY – Representatives of various companies that operate various buildings in the city expressed their support to the passage of the pending proposed ordinance in the City Council requiring all commercial establishments to provide free parking spaces for their patrons and customers.
Appearing before the regular session of the local legislative body Monday, building owners assured local legislators of their support to the enactment of the proposed measure but it should be limited for a few hours and not for customers or patrons to be allowed to park for free in their designated parking spaces for the duration of their operation because other legitimate customers will be deprived of their chance to also park and patronize the establishments in their buildings.
Among those who attended the council’s regular session were representatives from Abanao Square, EEP Commercial, Europa Parts and Accessories, Cedar Peak, Rex Hall Student Residences, Abanao Square, Sm City Baguio, John Co, Metro Mark building, Skyworld Commercial Center, Porta Vaga mall, Jollibee Harrison, Pelizloy Realty Corporation, MPB Realty Corporation, AYK Building, Tiong San Mabini and Balisong and Calde building.
Some of the building owners informed the local legislators that they are already providing their customers free parking spaces for their limited parking slots on a first come, first serve basis while other representatives of companies want the proposed ordinance to provide for limited hours for free parking for their customers.
On the other hand, some building owners explained their structures were previously given exemption in their compliance to the provision of parking spaces within their buildings as approved by the Local Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals (LZBAA) while other building owners admitted their structures were issued notices of violation by the City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO) for their failure to provide parking allocations for their customers, thus, they are currently on the process of working out their compliance to the notice of violation issued to them.
The building owners pointed out their customs deserve free parking spaces when transacting business with the different establishments in their structure, thus, there must be a provision that will be included that the security personnel or the staff of the company have the right to validate the receipts of the patrons and customers upon leaving their business areas to ascertain whether or not the customers really transacted business with their establishments to avail of the free parking for a certain duration of time.
The proposed ordinance will still be subjected to further consultations with the various stakeholders in the city to get their sentiments on the matter before the local legislative measure will be calendared for second reading before publication, second reading after publication and third reading after the introduction of the necessary amendments when it will be formally deliberated.
Under the National Building code, building owners are mandated to provide one parking slot for every 100-square meter floor area of their structures for their patrons and customers.
By Dexter A. See