To Congested Cities and Lost Mobilities: A Plight Induced by Parking Violators

In the midst of the busy metro of the capital city of the Philippines, one can easily recognize societal issues that impede an operative and efficient human interaction in the entire locality. Manila, a city that people appreciate as the pearl of the orient, has seemingly displaced its picturesque views from sunsets and ocean waves to crowded and occupied industrial spaces. It is undeniable that the city’s continuous adaptation to modernization and economic expansion brings radiance to the city; however, too much of this consumerism brought about social issues that may disrupt the natural connections among individuals within a community. One of the evident characteristics of modernization is through automotive technologies, whereas society and its people continuously consume vehicles to thrive and survive in the busy cities. This kind of development may appear to be highly favorable for citizens. However, its negative impacts should not be overlooked, as it will certainly impact the entire populace and the country in the long run. Against this background, it can be implied that increased automobile consumption, loose policies implementation, and irresponsible consumerism lead to a dense city and a metro where people are displaced with wheeled machines.

Upon looking at a community where all an individual can see are a variety of vehicles, and all that can be heard are beeping horns, several queries can immediately arise: Where are the people? And why does it feel like the living interaction are displaced with machinery? Answering these questions requires understanding the deep-seated cause of communal problems, which simply points to its people. Individuals within a community are simultaneously recognized as the primal consumers of automobiles and the sole recipients of laws mandated by the country's governing system specifically for parking regulations. As a bit of background, the Philippine law on parking mandates that a person cannot park in an area with a No Parking signage; a person cannot obstruct the road by stopping and making it a waiting place for a long time, and a person cannot simply park on a crosswalk where people are meant to walk on. These policies present themselves as a simple rule; however, most drivers still resort to illegal parking; thus, proving that people are the root cause of congested areas in the metro. To generate a greater understanding of how people stir up this problem, taking a walk on the nearest area of concern is imperative. As located in the 5th district of Manila, San Andres Bukid is one of the main roads where housing and commercial spaces are profusely connected via this route. With that said, it is expected that innumerable people and vehicles will be seen to move around in San Andres and its connecting roadways.

One of the streets in San Andres, which is highly affected by irregular parking spaces, is Augusto Francisco Street, which connects Arellano Avenue to Tejeron Street, which is well-known for having several food chains and salon businesses. As early as the daybreak, specifically at 6:00 AM, there is already a traffic issue as the lanes intended for moving vehicles are frequently obstructed with cars and vans parked overnight. In this circumstance, irresponsible owners of those obstructing parked vehicles cause traffic issues and delays on other people's personal businesses. One of the ways to countermeasure this impediment would be for drivers looking for an alternative route. It would be resolved that way; however, alternative routes seem to be no longer an option due to other parking violations. This is the case for the Pasig Line Street, to which road constructions are commonly conducted. In cases that these constructions are extremely necessary, the street still faces too much obstruction as apart from the reconstructions, private vehicles, motorcycles, and tricycles are regularly parked sideways, making the road impassable for automobiles. Upon looking at these situations, the country’s policy that driveways should not be parking spaces and blocked are already violated, thereby proving that irresponsible consumerism impacts a community and its people’s smooth interaction. Moving with little steps from the main Pasig line street is an alley known as Barrio Kamias, a residential area that, despite its existing rules, which asserts illegal parking equates to a traffic violation, is still dominated by illegal vehicles parked on the street driveways. This situation is alarming, particularly for its residents, as a combination of illegally parked vehicles that obstruct walkways and streets that are not well-lighted at night poses people at risk and dangers of accidents.

With the previous accounts mentioned, it is highlighted that private or public car drivers are not permitted to park their vehicles on the sidewalk; this is not to hamper people from walking at their designated walkways. Contrastingly, Revellin Street could not comply with this policy; specifically, the owners of rental apartments who tend to cater to more tenants even if their lots are not enough for parking spaces. This creates a dilemma wherein people's sidewalks gradually become a public garage for everyone. This faulty practice similarly goes with how actual garages along with Sagrada Familia and Estrada Streets turn into stores and shops. It is disheartening that some people's only way to survive and have decent wages is to turn their places into shops as rentals on commercial spaces took a toll on the income they used to provide for their respective families; thus, compelling these people to park their cars on streets and sidewalks, which in turn obstructs the passageway and increases the risk of an accident since it creates a blind spot for drivers. On a similar note, more illegal parking, industrial littering, and nightly loitering, which impact communal spaces turning into garages deferring human mobilities, are observed on other streets along San Andres Bukid, including Onyx, Torres, and Zobel Roxas. These are just several of the many metro streets that negatively affect the community and its people. By and large, all these issues would be realized if the respective institutions in the country abide by their responsibilities in providing citizens safety, security, and sustainability which same goes with the citizens who have the obligation of observing social responsibility. The enactment of rules and regulations is not enough as strict implementation, and compliance to these policies must be ensured. A congested city affects human mobilities, and this can be resolved if people would acknowledge that changes should start within themselves. These individual changes would then sum up and reckon as a movement to nullify the plight caused by illegal parking and the increasing number of violators.

Would you be one of these people who will start changing their ways?

Would you start recalibrating your old practices?

Would you bring back the beauty of this city?

Here are 5 Takeaways from the Accounts on Illegal Parking Spaces:

1. It is greater to spend time finding a safe and legal parking space than spend your time in the hospital, paying fees and fines.

2. Changes for safety, security, and sustainability start with people's action to abide by the mandated rules and regulations.

3. Parking spaces policies do not end with enactment, as maintenance and strict observance keep these policies firm in a community.

4. A congested city and deferred mobility are not the future you want for your children to have. Start changing your ways!

5. Begin thinking now, carefully plan how your vehicles will be situated, and act with consideration of the community's welfare at large!

How about you? Would you like to live in a congested city where your mobility would be limited? If not, let us shed some light on our community, inform people, encourage abidance, and promote legal practices, as this is the way to halt the plight that would make us halt in every way of our lives