THE 21st Davao City Council has approved on third and final reading amendments to the city’s Traffic Code authorizing the use of wheel clamps on illegally parked vehicles along designated roads.
Councilor Luna Acosta, chair of the Committee on Peace and Public Safety, said the clamping measure will initially cover R. Castillo Street from Agdao to Lasang, sections of Quimpo Boulevard, and the Sandawa area. These zones will serve as pilot sites from January to March 2026.
"Dili sa ta ing ana ka strickto until maanad ang mga tao na natay clamping ordinance (We won’t implement it too strictly right away. We’ll give people time to get used to the new clamping ordinance)," Acosta said in a media interview on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
She said that the initiative will serve as an additional enforcement tool against illegal parking on major city roads.
The city is currently procuring wheel clamps and tire locks, with installation of signage expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Funding for the program is included in the Public Safety and Order Plan, and at least 20 clamps will be acquired initially.
Atty. Eduardo Perez of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) said the office has already submitted a request for the clamps as part of the pilot phase. The ordinance will only take effect once all signage is in place.
Under the measure, clamped vehicles will be fined ₱2,000 for light vehicles and ₱5,000 for trucks, on top of existing citation tickets for illegal parking. The higher fine for trucks reflects the larger clamps required and the greater obstruction they cause.
Acosta noted that some drivers treat citation tickets as if they were parking fees, since the fines are often lower than legal parking rates. Wheel clamping, she said, aims to curb this behavior.
Towing operations will continue alongside clamping, but Acosta acknowledged the city’s limited tow trucks and storage space for impounded vehicles. The wheel-clamping system offers a more practical alternative for traffic enforcement.
Acosta also said that illegally parked vehicles significantly contribute to traffic congestion along major roads, and the measure is part of the city’s broader effort to ease road bottlenecks.
Under the ordinance, no-parking zones include intersections, crosswalks, areas within six meters of curb intersections, four meters from fire hydrants or fire station driveways, in front of private driveways, beside parked vehicles, and any area with official “No Parking” signs.
Authorized personnel from the CTTMO and the Davao City Police Office–Traffic Enforcement Unit (DCPO-TEU) may immobilize vehicles using wheel clamps in designated clamping zones.
Exempted from the rule are vehicles parked for emergency repairs that do not obstruct traffic; emergency responders and patients; vehicles of the AFP and PNP on official duty; law enforcement responding to emergencies or pursuing suspects; and vehicles of diplomats or VIP officials in coordination with the DCPO-TEU, AFP, Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO), and the City Mayor’s Office (CMO). RGP