Plans of regulating parking fees in establishments have been around for some time. Last year, then-Senator JV Ejercito filed Senate Bill No. 2044, also known as the Parking Space Regulation Act of 2018. The bill, if it was passed into law, would have regulated parking fees nationwide to a standard of Php 40 for the first 8 hours.

Now, a member of Congress has filed for a similar bill. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert “Ace” Barbers recently filed House Bill No. 506, also called the “Parking Fees Regulation Act”. The bill seeks to standardize parking fees in all parking facilities for all kinds of motor vehicles including shopping malls, hospitals, schools, hotels, and other similar establishments.

According to Barbers, the bill hopes to address the “excessive and unreasonable” parking fees imposed by owners and operators of such establishments. He also adds that high parking fees are one of the reasons vehicle owners choose to park on the streets instead.

Under the proposed bill, business establishments who choose to charge parking fees cannot charge over Php 100 per vehicle for the first 8 hours. An additional Php 10 will be charged for every succeeding hour. Meanwhile, overnight parking rates will be capped at Php 200 per vehicle. Furthermore, a customer shall not be charged parking fees if the car is only parked for less than 30 minutes.

If passed into law, the bill will also exempt motorists from parking fees at malls, restaurants and stores if he/she can present a validated proof of purchase worth Php 500 or more. Hospital visitors and patients will also be exempt from parking fees if they can show a validated proof of legitimate transactions.

Business establishments will also be made liable in case of loss of property of the customer or damage to the motor vehicle. As such, establishments should maintain and provide security in the parking space of their establishments.

The mentioned regulations will be nationwide and applied to all parking operators, including vacant lots being used as parking spaces. Violators of the act shall be fined no less than Php 150,000 per customer overcharged and/or imprisonment of 1 to 3 years.