For impounded vehicles in Mandaue CITY: Council OKs amnesty ordinance

CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City vehicle owners are urged to claim their impounded motorcycles and vehicles as the city government implements another round of amnesty on storage fees this year.

The Mandaue City Council yesterday, March 17, 2025, approved on final reading an ordinance granting relief and amnesty to declared owners of impounded vehicles from paying accumulated storage fees.

City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chairman of the Committee on Transportation, said the initiative aims to address the congestion at the city's impounding area, which has reached full capacity.

“This is a great opportunity for owners to reclaim their units at a lower cost,” Lumapas stated.

The amnesty program will cover only storage fees, which remain at P1,000. However, vehicle owners must still pay penalties for their traffic violations.

With the ordinance now in place, the amnesty will be valid for three months after its enactment. The start and end dates will be determined by the Traffic Board.

“Gihatag na sad nato sa TEAM Board kung kanus-a magsugod ang three months nga effectivity sa balaod,” Lumapas said in an interview.

In a separate interview, Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) Head Hyll Retuya confirmed that the Traffic Management Board will meet on March 26, 2025, to set the official start date for the amnesty. Implementation is expected to begin in April.

Lumapas encouraged vehicle owners to begin preparations to reclaim their units as soon as possible.

“Hopefully mahinay-hinay na na og claim ang katong mga sakyanan nga na impound,” he said.

The ordinance covers vehicles impounded in the city in 2023 and earlier. According to reports, at least 1,428 vehicles, impounded between 2019 and 2023, are eligible for reclamation under this program.

The traffic unit consistently records a high number of unclaimed impounded vehicles each year, with motorcycles comprising the majority. Retuya previously stated that many vehicles remain unclaimed due to high accumulated storage fees. The daily storage fee is P100 for motorcycles and tricycles, P200 for heavy-duty vehicles, and P500 for six- to ten-wheel vehicles and trailers. — (FREEMAN)