Mandaue’s towing, impounding proposal closer to becoming law

CEBU, Philippines —  The proposed towing and impounding ordinance of Mandaue City is a step closer to becoming a law.

This after the City Council approved on first reading the proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Jimmy Lumapas.

The Public Towing and Impounding Ordinance of 2020 seeks to “pursue a more proactive and preventive approach in securing the safety of all motorists, their passengers, and pedestrians at all times by ensuring that each and every motorist will responsibly maintain the road worthiness of their vehicles.”

Lumapas lobbied for its passage after he noticed the rampant illegal parking, which impedes the flow of traffic, on roads and sidewalks.

The proposed measure also covers stalled vehicles due to vehicular accident or engine malfunction as they contribute to traffic congestion.

"The City Government of Mandaue is committed to promptly institute responsive measures to decongest traffic by towing vehicles causing road obstructions, thereby impeding the flow of road traffic, and impounding subject vehicle(s) to a designated area provided by the city," the ordinance reads.

Once passed, the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) will man the operations of the city’s public towing service.

The TEAM shall have the primary responsibility to remove any stalled and/or illegally parked vehicle within the jurisdiction of Mandaue City, and within the shortest possible time from receipt of the report or directive on a stalled vehicle or an illegally parked vehicle.

The ordinance states that the public towing service operates 24 hours a day, and the tow trucks shall have proper markings, bearing the logo and seal of Mandaue City and TEAM Office and the telephone number.

Those who violate the ordinance will be slapped with a fine of P1,000 and the towing fee, which will be collected by the City Treasurer’s Office based on the towing tariff rates.

The tariff rates are P500 for motorcycle or two-wheeled vehicle, P1,000 for tricycle or three-wheeled vehicle, P1,500 for four-wheeled with 1,600 kilos of gross vehicle weight (GVW) and below, P2,000 for four-wheeled vehicles weighing not more than 2,600 kilos of GVW, P2,500 for four-wheeled weighing over 2,600 kg., P3,000 for six-wheeled vehicle (Elf), P3,500 for six-wheeled like Forward, and P4,500 for primemover.

For 10-wheeled vehicle, the rates range from P3,000 to P5,500.

The measure added that in the event that a stalled or illegally parked vehicle is towed and brought to the impounding area, the owner/operator/driver shall only be given a period of 24 hours from the time of impounding to claim the same.

After the said period has lapsed, and the subject vehicle remains unclaimed, the owner/operator/driver shall be liable to pay a daily rate of impounding fee, depending on the type of motor vehicle.

It added that the impounded vehicle which remains unclaimed after a period of six months, while a notice of disposal has been served to the owner, shall be declared as abandoned vehicle through a resolution by the TEAM Board.

The abandoned vehicle shall immediately become subject of the city’s public auction.

The ordinance further stated that the public towing service of the TEAM Office shall render its services free of charge in times of conflagration, flood, earthquake, other unforeseen and fortuitous events, natural disasters and other calamities in the city.  KQD (FREEMAN)