THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) warned that illegally-parked trucks and heavy vehicles inside the freeport will be slapped with a hefty fine of P50,000 starting June 2019 to deter traders from using the roads as parking areas.
Lawyer Wilma Eisma, SBMA chairperson and administrator, said the SBMA Board of Directors passed a resolution on May 23 increasing the penalty for heavy vehicles parked illegally or in non-leased areas from P500 to P50,000.
The resolution took effect on June 1, 2019.
The P50,000 fine applies only to illegally-parked heavy vehicles owned by conversion yards, auctioneers, service providers, and other locators.
“We have to increase the fine to an amount that would make it hurt. That is the only way they would follow regulations,” Eisma said.
She said the huge time lapse between the admission and the actual pullout of equipment and trucks results in the roadside parking of vehicles for as long as three months.
Eisma said this stems from the fact that some companies were importing more than the volume allowed for their leased areas.
The parking problem has been a festering issue in Subic, the only Freeport where importation of used vehicles and heavy equipment is allowed by law and now home to 88 vehicle trading companies.
Eisma met with the truck and heavy equipment traders in April and in May to discuss violations, not just on illegal parking, but also on work permits, importation, use of marshalling yard, subleasing, occupancy and use of leased property, and environment.
Describing the illegally parked trucks and equipment as “a bane to road users”, Eisma told truck traders that these should be pulled out within the allowed given time.
Eisma warned that the agency has the authority to pre-terminate agreements without need for court action and may also revoke, suspend or cancel the registration of any company for violation of the terms and conditions of its lease contract with the SBMA.
The truck traders agreed to keep their operations within the bounds of law, she said.
The crackdown on illegal parking and other policy violations was just part of the Eisma administration’s “shape-up-or-ship-out” position against errant businesses in the Subic Bay Freeport.
Last year, the SBMA tracked and chased after delinquent locators with millions of pesos in unpaid rents and other fees. (Ric Sapnu)