More parking meters to be installed in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Expect to see more parking on Manila streets soon in the wake of the successful installation of meters in Binondo district two years ago.

Morgan Say, chief executive officer of Manila Parking Management (Mapma), told the weekly “Bulong Pulungan” media forum at the Sofitel Hotel that parking meters are now being installed on streets outside of Binondo such as in Ermita, Tayuman and Legarda.

Two years ago, the Manila City government and Mapma entered into a public-private partnership (PPP) deal to install the initial 340 parking meters for the On Street Parking project in Binondo.

Each parking meter – which costs US$2,000 each – reads a pre-paid induction card that a motorist that uses a parking spot can reload for credits.  The parking meter allows a motorist to park his vehicle for a maximum of three hours for P30. Should a vehicle extends its stay on the parking spot, roving parking marshals will charge the motorist for the extended hours.

Motorists wishing to make use of the designated parking spots can buy the induction cards from the roving parking attendants. Motorists can also have the attendants reload their parking cards.

Say said the use of parking meters have “professionalized” street parking by providing employment to the former informal parking aides and has made street parking safer.

“We have given the informal parking boys employment and training,” Say said. Mapma, said Say, has at present 600 parking attendants.

Once parked in the metered slot, Say said his company provides the parked vehicle ample security through roving security guards as well as giving the motorists perks such as a free car wash and even free car repair by a mechanic.

Say said that of the earnings made from the parking meters, 20 percent goes to the Manila City government with the barangay getting 2 percent.  Say said the meters are only installed in city streets and not on national roads. Last year, Say said, the Manila City government got its share of P20 million from the operation of the parking meters.