THERE are two things drivers of private cars can either do these days when the Sinulog festivities are on.

One, don’t ever leave your car in a no-parking zone, not even for a minute, or return to it already clamped. These days, just about anywhere in downtown Cebu City that leads to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño is a no-parking zone.

Two, don’t drive. Walk. Traffic in Cebu City has grown monstrous.

And for ignoring the signs, 48 vehicles had been clamped since Jan. 10. when teams from Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) found them parked in no-parking zones. The novena masses of the Fiesta Señor began last Jan. 10.

A car had also been towed.

CCTO now has 356 Denver boots, 296 of them brand-new.

Francisco Ouano, CCTO operations chief, said they are strictly enforcing the ordinance against illegal parking to avoid traffic problems during the Sinulog week.

He urged motorists to ride public utility vehicles to save themselves the trouble of looking for parking areas.

Efren Navales, CCTO supervisor, said the fine for clamping is P1,500 and P2,500 for towing.

Most of the clamped vehicles were parked on main streets, far from Santo Niño church, but they had disrupted the flow of traffic.

Ouano said only few cars had been clamped in the vicinity of Cebu City Hall.

He said City officials and department heads often park their cars at the Plaza Sugbo, but CCTO has cleared the park grounds to accommodate the overflow of churchgoers hearing the hourly novena masses at the basilica nearby.

The traffic patrol cars carrying clamps have started scouring the major roads in Cebu City for violators and are raring to accessorize illegally parked vehicles with the shiny, yellow Denver boots. KAL