Iloilo City to deputize barangay officials against illegal parking

ILOILO CITY — Barangay officials may soon be authorized to apprehend motorists for illegal parking on local roads as the Iloilo City Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) moves to deputize them to help enforce traffic regulations.

The TTMO said the proposed deputization aims to close gaps in barangay-level road-clearing operations amid limited manpower.

TTMO head Uldarico Garbanzos said the office has only three clearing teams, making it difficult to conduct simultaneous operations across the city’s 180 barangays.

“Not all the time we are in the barangays. Not all the time we can operate simultaneously across the 180 barangays, but if we have deputized agents, we can have monitoring. We will have additional eyes and ears, and within the barangay level, they can enforce and issue tickets,” Garbanzos said Thursday, Oct. 1.

Officials being considered for deputization include punong barangays, barangay council members who chair the peace and order committees, and chief tanods.

Deputized officials will be authorized to issue the same citation tickets the TTMO uses, covering the same illegal parking violations the office enforces.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, or Republic Act 7160, the punong barangay is already mandated to enforce all laws and ordinances applicable within the barangay. 

Training set this month

Garbanzos said the city must first pass an ordinance before the deputization program can take effect.

He said the office aims to begin training barangay officials this month.

The TTMO has prepared a training program modeled on its earlier deputization of security guards assigned to roads covered by Megaworld Corp. in Mandurriao, he added.

The training will include lectures, theoretical instruction, and actual exercises before officials are issued deputized identification cards.

Garbanzos said the TTMO held coordination meetings with all 180 barangays in 10 batches, concluding Sept. 29.

Cyril Octavio, chief of operations of the Public Order and Safety Management Office (POSMO), said illegal parking often returns after clearing operations because enforcement is inconsistent.

“In our operation, the problem always is consistency. After our clearing operation in the barangay, we turn it over, and the problem is how we implement it consistently. That is the gap,” Octavio said.

He said some roads fall under barangay jurisdiction, making local officials more familiar with parking problems and habitual violators.

About 75% of the barangays have expressed willingness to join the deputization program, according to Octavio.

Guarding against politics

Octavio acknowledged, however, that some barangays may decline to participate because traffic enforcement could be politicized.

“But we advise them to set aside politics. Our purpose is we can clear the barangays para sa tanan. The purpose is that if there is order in barangays, that would mean peaceful management and seamless movement of the residents,” he said.

Octavio said the TTMO may revoke a barangay’s deputization authority in cases of grave abuse or politicized enforcement.

The office will also assign its own evaluator to monitor deputized officials.

As part of the broader effort against illegal parking, the city is encouraging barangays to set up common parking areas, including the possible use of barangay gyms and other open spaces, Octavio said.

Barangays have also been tasked to inventory vehicle owners in their areas, including owners of two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles and tricycles, and to determine whether those owners have garages.

Octavio said the city’s assessment showed that some residents park their vehicles in other barangays.

“It is important that we can identify and we have an inventory, or else we cannot give a comprehensive solution. We identify how many are two-wheel, four-wheel,” he said.

Although deputization would add to barangay officials’ responsibilities, Octavio said the city has yet to discuss incentives or honoraria.

“So far, that has not been tackled yet. This is for public service,” he said.