Metro Manila Council (MMC) President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said Metro Manila mayors will be submitting a list of roads to be exempted from the suggested parking ban first proposed during a joint meeting between the MMC, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to alleviate the traffic situation in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Instead of a total ban on 100 percent of roads, the suggestion is for each city to submit a list of roads where one-side parking or parking during certain hours, like nighttime, may be allowed,” Zamora said in an interview, adding that a technical working group will be formed to study the recommendations from each local government unit (LGU).

MMDA Chairman Don Artes had earlier said they are waiting for the list of roads that could be exempted from the parking ban, as the concerned agencies are set to meet again on Aug. 8 to discuss the proposal.

DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla first proposed the prohibition of parking on all streets in Metro Manila from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The MMDA, on the other hand, suggested implementing the parking ban on all public streets, aligned with the MMDA’s expanded number coding scheme, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Zamora explained that a total ban on street parking will be close to impossible to implement, given the different traffic situations and road capacities in each city.

“When you say total ban, talagang lahat po ng kalye ay bawal. Kung total ban po talaga kahit na yung mga inner roads ay pagbabawalang pumarada, ang tanong po, saan na po talaga paparada ang ating mga sasakyan (When you say total ban, it means all streets would strictly be no-parking zones. If it is truly a total ban, even parking on inner roads would no longer be allowed. The question now is, where will people park their vehicles?),” the mayor explained.

“Yung main road, may ban po d'yan. Yung roads na talagang ma-traffic, may ban po d'yan... ngunit yung mga inner roads, mga tertiary roads na malayo naman po sa main roads natin, 'yung 'di naman talaga dinadaanan ng mga sasakyan masyado (Main roads are covered by the ban. Traffic-heavy roads are also covered... but inner roads or tertiary roads that are far from our main roads and not frequently used by vehicles can still be used for parking),” he added.

In San Juan, the city government has been prohibiting parking on main roads and Mabuhay lanes since 2019.

It had also opened the Greenhills-West Crame connector road in December of last year to further alleviate traffic congestion in the city.

The road connects Eisenhower Street in Barangay Greenhills to 3rd West Street in Barangay West Crame.

Zamora said the road was previously filled with privately-owned lots that separated Barangay Greenhills from Barangay West Crame.

The city government purchased the lands and converted them into a public road wherein motorists may pass through, easing the flow of traffic in the area.

"Eisenhower Street in Barangay Greenhills and 3rd West Street in Barangay West Crame are part of the Mabuhay Lanes, which are designated no parking zones. As such, the San Juan City Wheel Clamping Ordinance (C.O. No. 70, Series of 2022) and MMDA Resolution No. 10, Series of 2010 will be fully implemented in the said streets. This means that illegally parked vehicles along Mabuhay Lanes and city roads in San Juan will be clamped by the TPMO or towed by the MMDA," the mayor said.

“Opening this section will be very beneficial not just for residents of Barangays West Crame and Greenhills, but also for motorists passing through our city. It will help in easing the traffic in EDSA and Ortigas since they can now pass through the Greenhills-West Crame Connector Road,” he added.