Jadewell finally padlocked

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BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 4) — The city government finally padlocked the Ganza and Burnham parking areas operated by Jadewell Parking Systems on January 3 on the ground that the operation of the said parking systems has not been covered by any business permit since December 31, 2004.

End of the road! A Jadewell personnel emerges from their office as they are closed down by Public Order and Safety Division personnel on Wednesday morning. Photo courtesy of Ace Alegre

All other street pay parking operations in the city are also now considered illegal with the historical repeal of the city’s traffic ordinance or Ordinance 003-2000 which allowed pay-parking in the major thoroughfares including Session Road, according to acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. during the weekly mayor’s forum.

Jadewell’s closure came at the heels of an alleged Malacañang order for the suspension of 12 councilors and the acting mayor accused of abuse of authority by Jadewell owners. The palace reportedly gave the city 15 days for them to answer to the accusations, to which City Legal Officer Melchor Rabanes reportedly asked for an extension due to the holidays.

In the Administrative Order No. 001-2007 issued on January 2, Bautista ordered the Public Order and Safety Division to close Jadewell, and the city police to arrest any of its personnel found collecting parking fees.

POSD Chief Emmanuel Reyes said in an interview that there was no resistance on the part of the pay parking firm, represented by its Administrative Officer Salipada Mangga, who asked their personnel to leave the premises.

Earlier Bautista directed police authorities to remove signages in city streets, including those of the pay parking firms. He clarified, however that the order was meant for all signages in the city’s effort to come up with internationally accepted standards on street signs. The acting mayor also clarified that the closure order also applies to all business operations with no business permit.

City Councilor Jose Mencio Molintas, who was present during the closure said that the POSD and police are just implementing a city ordinance. “We are here to witness the closure,” he told Nordis.

Bautista said he is moving one step at a time and clarifies that although he anticipates to face a similar fate, he is acting in a different situation as that of Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon, now serving two 6-month suspension due to his order for Jadewell’s closure as soon as he took the mayoralty seat in 2005. He dismissed the pay-parking issue as too small a problem compared with other concerns as the uncollected John Hay rentals, the city market development impasse, the management of the the Asin mini-hydros and the impending eviction of settlers at the Busol watershed premises.

No on-street pay parking, no parking

Bautista disclosed that he would ask the city council to study Resolution 007-84, which he wants amended or repealed so that there would be no more on-street parking in the city.

Bautista also hopes to see a no parking policy in the city’s busiest street, Session Road aside from the no pay-parking that comes with the repeal of the 2000 traffic ordinance.

There should be no more pay parking in city streets including Session Road and I prefer to see a no parking policy there,” Bautista told media, as he revealed that he intends to finish the renovation of Session Road sidewalk in time for this year’s staging of the Panagbenga Flower Festival. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS