Ever since it was announced last month that the city council of Bacolod had approved an ordinance that designated pay parking zones in the city, I have gotten reactions from friends and readers who probably expected me to support a pushback against it.
I get it. Nobody wants to pay for parking, especially in a city where it has always been mostly free of charge, even in shopping malls. It is truly disturbing to think that our own city hall would be the one to start the trend of pay parking, which has somehow managed to be not a thing for Bacoleños. In fact, free parking is one of the more surprising observations that people from Metro Manila make when visiting the city.
If city hall starts charging for street parking, then it is very likely that private establishments will also follow suit very soon, and that would mean the end of the free parking era in this part of the world. That’s a big adjustment for those of us who have been spoiled by the privilege of not needing to account for pay parking in the monthly budget.
As terrible as the thought of having to deal with paying for parking may sound, I can’t bring myself to be totally against the decision of the city council to designate pay parking zones in the city, simply because of all the parking abuse that we see all over.
If you come to think of it, because they have been spoiled by the privilege of free and unregulated parking, Bacolod drivers think they can park anywhere they please, or can squeeze their vehicles in. They park at street corners, on bike lanes, block driveways, against the flow of traffic, and even basically anywhere they please – as long as the hazard lights are on.
And if you come to think of it a bit more, even commercial establishments and residences even have the gall to claim parking spots on public roads and sidewalks for themselves, simply because it is “free.” Those DIY “reserved parking” signs that we commonly see on many curbs and sidewalks are actually the illegal appropriation of public spaces, but nobody has done anything about it and a lot of us even obey the signs of those parking squatters. I remember one time that a guy asked me not to park at one such spot, so I asked him for a title or city ordinance that gave him proof of ownership.
The solution for all these illegal parking activities is to either declare no parking areas, regulate parking areas, or charge for parking. And since the biggest issue with enforcing an ordinance is having the manpower to do it, then taking the pay parking route makes the most sense as it allows the city to generate the funds to make enforcement feasible and sustainable.
A couple of years ago, I’d probably join the fight to keep the privilege to park for free. But recently, my views on public transportation and road use have shifted and have become less car-centric. I have decided that I would want to live in a city where residents are not dependent on cars, which means in my ideal future, parking shouldn’t be as important as it is today. If pay parking is going to be part of that transformation, then I’m willing to bear that burden. As long as the city has a long term plan with a better end in mind.
However, if there is no long term plan anyway, then I will have to agree that pay parking is a terrible idea and the people who have no plans shouldn’t be trying to come up with bad ideas.
Proper sidewalks, alongside shady and protected bike lanes, and a safe and efficient public transport system, will need regulated pay parking as one of the components of an urban transportation system that has a focus on people instead of vehicles. Another thing that might even happen if that is going to be the path forward, is a congestion charge, which private vehicles will need to pay when entering certain zones in the city, which is certain to get even more visceral reactions from car owners.
For now, Bacolod has basically none of the above. There is only the prospect of pay parking, and we don’t even know why it is being implemented. Is it just to make money, or are they trying to lay the groundwork for urban transformation, the type that comes with a master plan? Either way, it’s going to be pretty inconvenient for most of us who have been used to free-for-all parking since time immemorial.
It’s going to sting, but at this point, I’m willing to pay for street parking if it means there are going to be improvements. If pay parking will result in better enforcement and discipline, and it is part of a comprehensive plan to make the way our cities work better, then it is a price I am ready to pay. At this point, all we can do is hope that it isn’t going to be another disappointing end to free street parking that also turns out to be a dead end.*
