Senator Francis Escudero on Thursday stressed that “certainty of punishment is what curbs misconduct and deters the commission of violations, not gravity of the penalty.”
Escudero issued the statement as he rallied behind President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who rejected a proposal by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) to increase fines for illegal parking.
“Nobody wants to shell out P1,000… if they will certainly be fined, they will stop doing it,” said Escudero.
“Even if it’s P4,000, if they can get away with it, it really won’t make much of a difference,” he added.
He said Building Codes and Occupancy Permits should require adequate parking space for all types of establishments, including residential.
“Let’s not wait to be like Singapore where they auction off the right to buy a car, which is sometimes more expensive than the car itself due to traffic and parking concerns.
The President favored the retention of the P1,000- fine for illegal parking.
“While we understand the intention behind the proposal, I’ve decided to prioritize discipline over penalties. The new Filipinos are disciplined. By focusing on individual responsibility, we can create long-lasting solutions to our traffic challenge,” Marcos said.