CEBU City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has called for an executive session to investigate several private off-street parking operators accused of collecting fees beyond the limits set by a city ordinance.
Alcover presented receipts showing entry charges ranging from P30 to P40, amounts that exceed the P20 maximum rate for the first three hours prescribed under Cebu City Ordinance 2089 for Class A parking facilities.
In a privilege speech, Alcover urged the City Council to summon the concerned parking operators and the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to review enforcement mechanisms and determine whether amendments to the ordinance are necessary.
Under Section 6 of the ordinance, Class A parking establishments — those with concrete parking spaces, adequate facilities and located near malls, hospitals, churches and business centers — may charge P20 for the first three hours and P5 for each succeeding hour.
Class B establishments, defined as those with less developed parking areas, are allowed to charge P10 for the first three hours and P5 for every succeeding hour.
“The ordinance is explicit. The rate ceilings are clearly defined. There is no ambiguity in its language,” Alcover said.
He presented receipts allegedly issued by parking facilities near major commercial centers, including APM Mall, Ayala Land Malls, Robinsons Galleria Cebu, SM Supermalls and Iconic, showing entry fees between P30 and P40.
“We can’t help but ask, what is their basis for these collections?” Alcover said in Cebuano.
While acknowledging that parking services are privately operated, Alcover stressed that they are imbued with public interest, as they directly affect patients seeking medical care, churchgoers, employees and business owners.
“Any excessive or unauthorized collection, however small it may seem, when multiplied daily across hundreds of motorists, results in a substantial financial burden on our constituents,” he added.
More questions
Alcover also questioned whether Ordinance 2089 remains actively enforced, noting that the CCTO, formerly the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom), is primarily responsible for its implementation.
“If it remains valid and in effect, then compliance must be mandatory. If economic realities necessitate adjustments in rates, then the proper recourse is legislative amendment — not unilateral imposition by private operators,” he said.
Alcover moved for the council to determine the extent of noncompliance with the ordinance; require concerned city departments, including the Business Permit and Licensing Office, to present their monitoring and enforcement mechanisms; invite representatives of privately owned off-street parking facilities to clarify their current rate structures; and assess whether legislative amendments or strengthened enforcement provisions are warranted.
“This representation does not seek to unduly burden legitimate businesses. Rather, we aim to ensure fairness, transparency and the uniform implementation of duly enacted city laws,” Alcover said.
The resolution was approved without discussion. Concerned parking operators and city offices have been directed to submit their written responses within 15 days.
The executive session is scheduled for May 1. / CAV