TTMO to push clamping amid expected Friday gridlock

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The traffic bottlenecks expected across Iloilo City on Friday, Dec. 5, will not stop the city government’s Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) from implementing clamping operations in key areas of the city.

Rolando Hollero, chief of operations of the TTMO Enforcement Clearing Team, acknowledged that limited parking remains one of the city’s biggest problems and urged visitors to use public transportation.

“If you are going to visit the city, we have public vehicles. You would also not have a hard time finding where you can park […] Our city is not expanding, but the people and vehicles are significantly increasing,” he said on Tuesday.

Hollero said TTMO personnel will be deployed to high-density traffic areas to enforce the no-parking policy and help manage congestion.

He stressed that following parking rules is the responsibility of every citizen.

“We do not want that in the Yuletide season and special events, we will be clamping vehicles, so it is the obligation of the citizens to avoid parking on the roadsides,” he said.

He noted the inconvenience of being clamped, particularly when vehicles cannot be retrieved immediately, such as on days when the City Treasurer’s Office is closed.

Hollero said clamping operations will prioritize violations like double parking and vehicles blocking alleys.

He added that while paid parking areas are available, these will operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

TTMO head Uldarico Garbanzos appealed to motorists to follow traffic rules and regulations.

“We are extending our warning to the public that if you go to the city, you must identify the parking areas where you can’t park. You can’t insist on not parking in areas because this will just bring inconvenience to you. We have an enforcement and clearing team,” he said.

During clamping operations, vehicles found illegally parked without drivers present will receive traffic citation tickets left on the vehicle to notify the owner of the violation.

Under the city’s clamping ordinance, violators face fines of PHP 1,000 for light vehicles, PHP 1,200 for medium vehicles, and PHP 1,500 for heavy vehicles, with an additional PHP 5,000 fine for unauthorized removal of clamps.