By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the road clearing of illegally parked vehicles along Club Filipino Avenue on Thursday.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora helps in putting up a "no parking" sign along Club Filipino Ave. in Greenhills, San Juan City during a clearing operation of illegally parked vehicles on Thursday morning, July 25, 2019. (Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN)
This, after Zamora signed an Executive Order last week declaring four streets circling around Greenhills Shopping Center as “no parking zones” to ease the traffic in the area.
The city mayor announced the order last July 18, a week before the measure’s effectivity today, July 25.
According to the order, parking is prohibited on both sides of Club Filipino Avenue, Missouri Street and portions of Annapolis and Connecticut Streets from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“Ang mga lugar na ito ay dating pinapayagan ng nakaraang administrasyon dito sa San Juan na paradahan (These areas were previously allowed for parking by the past administration here in San Juan),” Zamora told reporters.
“Ngunit ako po ay nangako noong panahon ng eleksyon na tatanggalin ko po ito, at ngayong araw ay tinutupad ko po ang aking pangako (But I vowed during the election period that I will prohibit this, and today I fulfill my promise),” he added.
According to Zamora, there is an existing ordinance that allows parking on both sides of the streets around the shopping center.
Based on the ordinance, however, the city mayor has the authority to issue an executive order that would suspend parking along the selected streets, he said.
The city mayor added that the city council led by Vice Mayor Warren Villa, who was also present during the clearing, will make the “necessary amendments” to the ordinance.
Zamora said the local government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will study all barangays in which the order can also be implemented.
“We will have to provide for parking facilities. Kung may mga vacant lot naman sa mga barangay, pwede munang gamitin as temporary parking areas, (We will have to provide for parking facilities. If there are vacant lots in barangays, we can use it as temporary parking areas)” he said.
During the interview with reporters, Zamora seemed to bathe with his on sweat after he and other MMDA personnel lifted an illegally parked minivan to align it to a tow truck.
The city mayor, wearing a pristine white polo barong, also hanged a “no parking” sign along Club Filipino Avenue. He also painted out a yellow parking marker near Club Filipino with black paint.
San Juan City Police chief Col. Ariel Fulo said four illegally parked vehicles were towed by the MMDA during the clearing.
MMDA traffic chief Bong Nebrija said the actions of Zamora is a response to the call of President Duterte that MMDA and the local government units (LGU) in Metro Manila should work together to fix the traffic woes in their respective cities.
“This is the cooperation that we want. Magtulungan ang MMDA at tsaka LGU para mapanatili ang kaayusan, (This is the cooperation that we want, for the MMDA and LGU to work together in keeping peace and order)” Nebrija said.