Solons want establishments to be prohibited

from imposing parking fees

Lawmakers are seeking to prohibit the imposition of parking fees for the use of
facilities provided by shopping malls, schools, hospitals, hotels and other similar
establishments.
Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (2
nd
District, agayan De !ro ity" and #a$imo Rodriguez
%r. (&arty'list, (bante #indanao" authored )ouse *ill +2,-, which allows the charging of
parking fees only if the consumers will use the parking space without patronizing the
establishments.
.n filing the bill, Rodriguez said the owners of establishments like malls and hotels
take advantage of the consumers by charging them e$orbitant parking fees despite the fact
that these people park to patronize their institutions.
Rodriguez said there are even instances when a consumer /ust spends a little time
inside the establishment and yet he is charged with the standard parking fee.
0ome malls charge a fi$ed rate of &+1 to &12 but most big shopping centers charge
&+2 for the first three hours of parking and an additional amount for every hour in e$cess.
!n the other hand, hotels charge &322 upward unless the ticket is validated.
4nder the bill, the consumers will not be re5uired to pay the parking fee if they can
present receipt or proper validation that proves they patronized the establishment.
6ithout the proper receipt or validation, the establishment is authorized to charge
the customers &122 for the use of the parking facilities, the bill provides.
78here is a need for us to regulate the imposition of parking fees by all
establishments, whether public or private, thereby making it free of charge if proven that
the person has made a purchase or have availed of the services provided by said
establishment, as evidenced by his receipt or the proper validation. !therwise, the
establishment can charge the consumer with high parking fees considering that he simply
used the parking space without patronizing the establishment,9 Rodriguez said.
(ny person or establishment, whether public or private, who violates the provisions
of the act shall be fined with not less than &322,222 per customer that is charged a parking
fee or imprisonment of not less than si$ months or both, upon the discretion of the court.
(:2" mrs
NR # 3536B
JULY 23, 2014