ILLEGALLY parked vehicles in the city may soon be towed following the filing of an ordinance in the city.
Authored by Councilors Benny Bomogao, Michael Lawana, and Faustino Olowan, the “Towing Ordinance of the City of Baguio” aims to support Baguio City's Anti-Obstruction ordinance and provide a regulated towing system of damaged, abandoned, immobilized, illegally parked, or disabled motor vehicles on public right-of-way or on public or private property within the city streets or roads.
Under the proposed law, the city will seek a firm operating in Baguio with the needed towing equipment for heavy and light vehicles and a secured storage facility equipped with the security measures such as 24/7 security guard and closed-circuit camera.
Owners of abandoned vehicle or parts must be liable for all the costs, storage and disposal of the vehicle or the parts under the ordinance.
In the proposed ordinance, all vehicles remaining at the storage facility for more than 90 days may be removed and disposed in accordance with disposal procedures by the General Services Office.
A standard towing fee will be collected by both government and private entities. Owners of light vehicles will pay P1,500 for the first 4 kilometers, P2,500 for medium vehicles, P4,500 for heavy vehicles.
After the first four kilometers, vehicle owners will have to shell out additional P200 per kilometer.
The tow trucks crew or personnel must exercise utmost courtesy and observe proper decorum in dealing with the public or motorists and must submit the performance record of the company to ensure it has sufficient skills to provide towing services.
The towing company or agency, whether private or government must be held responsible for towing the vehicles wherein unattended illegally parked vehicle will be towed and issued a Ticket Violation Receipt immediately upon arrival at the impounding area.
Any towing company or its employee, who violates any provision of this ordinance, must be issued a written warning for the first violation. (Justine Mae Jimenez/Colegio de Dagupan intern)
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