06 December 2005
Alvin: No pay parking city ordinance yet
THERE is no pay parking ordinance passed by the city council yet. That’s according to Dagupan City Vice-Mayor Alvin Fernandez, presiding officer of the sangguniang panlungsod.
Fernandez, reacting to the banner story of Pangasinan Star last week, called up to clarify that what the sangguniang panlungsod passed last November 14 was “just an ordinance designating the parking areas.” He claimed that the body has yet to prescribe the fees and penalties in the use of such parking areas by motorists which, he inferred, could be subject of another ordinance.
This paper reported last week that the pay parking measure was deemed defective due to lack of quorum when it was passed which factor was also noted by the city legal officer in a radio interview. Another major factor that effectively deemed the measure void was the absence of thorough consultation thru public hearings before the measure was passed.
The vice-mayor maintained however that there was quorum during that session. Based on sanggunian records, seven members answered the roll call including the vice-mayor while six were absent including Alex de Venecia who was in the United States. There are 10 regular councilors and two ex-officio members.
De Venecia, being out of the country, was ruled out in the determination of quorum as per the rules, the vice-mayor explained.
Since the ordinance did not involve any appropriation or imposition of fees and penalties, a simple majority was required, he added.
A close scrutiny of Ordinance No. 1853-2005 authored by Councilor Luis Samson, Jr. showed otherwise. Prescribed in it was a parking fee of P20 for the first hour and P5 for every hour afterwards for light vehicles, and P30 for medium vehicles for the first hour and P5 afterwards. A prepaid monthly season parking fee or pass was also set as an option for vehicle owners – P1,000 for light vehicles, and P1,500 for medium vehicles. A fine of P500 was also prescribed as penalty for violators.
Apparently, the vice-mayor failed to notice such provisions in the ordinance.
Samson, it was learned, actually prepared a draft amendment to the ordinance a few days later which sought to raise the monthly season pass to P1,500 for light vehicles, and P3,500 for medium vehicles.
Fernandez, who admitted he was out when the measure was being discussed in the previous sessions being a member of the Consultative Commission for the proposed Charter Change, said that there was no pay parking ordinance to talk about yet. “Pag-uusapan pa yang mga fees and penalties,” he told the Pangasinan Star in a cell phone interview.
The sanggunian thru the concerned committees are expected to call public hearings for the purpose, he said.
The sanggunian was roundly criticized for not fully disclosing the matter to the public, considering that it carried fees and penalties.
Fernandez, reacting to the banner story of Pangasinan Star last week, called up to clarify that what the sangguniang panlungsod passed last November 14 was “just an ordinance designating the parking areas.” He claimed that the body has yet to prescribe the fees and penalties in the use of such parking areas by motorists which, he inferred, could be subject of another ordinance.
This paper reported last week that the pay parking measure was deemed defective due to lack of quorum when it was passed which factor was also noted by the city legal officer in a radio interview. Another major factor that effectively deemed the measure void was the absence of thorough consultation thru public hearings before the measure was passed.
The vice-mayor maintained however that there was quorum during that session. Based on sanggunian records, seven members answered the roll call including the vice-mayor while six were absent including Alex de Venecia who was in the United States. There are 10 regular councilors and two ex-officio members.
De Venecia, being out of the country, was ruled out in the determination of quorum as per the rules, the vice-mayor explained.
Since the ordinance did not involve any appropriation or imposition of fees and penalties, a simple majority was required, he added.
A close scrutiny of Ordinance No. 1853-2005 authored by Councilor Luis Samson, Jr. showed otherwise. Prescribed in it was a parking fee of P20 for the first hour and P5 for every hour afterwards for light vehicles, and P30 for medium vehicles for the first hour and P5 afterwards. A prepaid monthly season parking fee or pass was also set as an option for vehicle owners – P1,000 for light vehicles, and P1,500 for medium vehicles. A fine of P500 was also prescribed as penalty for violators.
Apparently, the vice-mayor failed to notice such provisions in the ordinance.
Samson, it was learned, actually prepared a draft amendment to the ordinance a few days later which sought to raise the monthly season pass to P1,500 for light vehicles, and P3,500 for medium vehicles.
Fernandez, who admitted he was out when the measure was being discussed in the previous sessions being a member of the Consultative Commission for the proposed Charter Change, said that there was no pay parking ordinance to talk about yet. “Pag-uusapan pa yang mga fees and penalties,” he told the Pangasinan Star in a cell phone interview.
The sanggunian thru the concerned committees are expected to call public hearings for the purpose, he said.
The sanggunian was roundly criticized for not fully disclosing the matter to the public, considering that it carried fees and penalties.
