Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Thursday declared the 6.5-kilometer Rizal Avenue, formerly called Avenida Rizal, as a “no parking zone.”
Estrada made this move following a road clearing that revealed the extent of illegal parking on one of the city’s main arteries.
During a road clearing operation on a three-kilometer portion of Rizal Avenue from Carriedo to Abad Santos Avenue, the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) arrested a supposed collector for illegally collecting fees from vehicle owners who park on Rizal Avenue, particularly near the San Lazaro Hospital.
A total of 30 tricycles, five motorcycles, 15 light vehicles, and two “kuligligs” or motorized pedicabs were also towed away by MTPB traffic enforcers during the early morning operation.
The collector, said to be an employee of Tokagawa Global Corp., claimed to have a certification from the MTPB allowing him to collect parking fees.
But MTPB chief Dennis Alcoreza said parking is absolutely not allowed in any part of Rizal Avenue.
Alcoreza said the subject area is not part of the parking operation contract Tokagawa Global Corp. has entered into with former mayor Alfredo Lim in 2012.
Estrada has nullified the deal, citing the observation of the Commission on Audit that it is disadvantageous to the government.
The commission also ordered Tokagawa and its partner Matsuyama Corp. to turn over the parking operations to the city government.
But Tokagawa went to court and the case is still being heard. The 25-year deal allows Tokagawa to charge parking fees from motorists in designated areas and 20 percent of the proceeds go to the city government.
The parking deal is the subject of graft charges filed by journalist Ricardo Santos Cruz before the Office of the Ombudsman against Lim, Tokagawa vice president Rorie Cariaga, and Matsuyama managing officer Napoleon Ibalio.
“They are the promoters,” Alcoreza said of Tokagawa.
The MTPB chief added that Estrada has authorized him to arrest anyone collecting illegal parking fees and those protecting this money-making racket in Manila.
Since June, the mayor has intensified the city government’s road and sidewalk clearing operations, driving away more than 3,000 illegal vendors and removing countless obstructions and illegal structures.
Estrada said it was time the precious road space that has been occupied by illegal vendors was cleared to ease traffic congestion.
He has personally led clearing operations in Divisoria, Blumentritt, Quiapo, Binondo, Sta. Cruz, R-10, and Pedro Gil, among others, and major roads leading to and from the Port of Manila.
The former president has also cleaned up the University Belt weeks before the June 13 opening of classes.