Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) personnel issued citation tickets to drivers whose vehicles were illegally parked at the Malacañang sa Sugbu grounds on Saturday, January 11, 2020. | Photo grabbed from the CCTO Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebuanos, who plan to attend Novena Masses at the Basilica, are advised to avail of the free rides being offered by two malls in Cebu City.
This is one way of avoiding parking problems and having their vehicles clamped or towed, says an advisory by the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).
“Giawhag namo ang manimbahay nga ni offer og Free ride ang Robinsons Galleria og SM seaside og ang DROP OFF area mao Malacañang sa Sugbo. Adto nalang mo park para dili ma clampan ang inyong mga Sakyanan,” said an advisory posted on their Facebook page.
(We would like to remind churchgoers of the free rides offered by Robinsons Galleria and SM Seaside, the drop off of which is the Malacañang sa Sugbu (grounds). Leave your vehicles at the mall parking area to avoid from having these clamped.)
Read: Free rides, free water for Sinulog devotees
The CCTO advisory said they clamped a total of 59 vehicles on Sunday morning, January 12, 2020, that were illegally parked on sidewalks and at no parking areas located close to the Basilica.
As of 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, CCTO also clamped 69 vehicles for “disregarding traffic sign for No parking/Stopping anytime and clamping zone in the vicinity of (Bsilica) Menor Del Santo Niño and some major parts of Metro Cebu.”
Earlier this week, they also clamped and towed around 80 vehicles for the same violation.
This now brings the number of clamped and towed vehicles to more than 200 since the start of the Novena Masses for the annual feast of the Señor Sto. Niño on Jan. 9.
Read: CCTO clamps, tows 80 vehicles ‘illegally’ parked near the Basilica
Designated parking areas are located at the Compania Maritima grounds that is located across the City Hall executive building and the parking space near the Post Office at Plaza Independencia.
CCTO said that roads surrounding the Basilica have been declared as no parking zones.
Even the vicinity of the Malacañang sa Sugbu that is located close to Plaza Independencia cannot be used for parking.
But as humanitarian consideration, the CCTO post said they did not clamp vehicles that were illegally park at the Malacañang sa Sugbu grounds on Saturday. Instead, they issued drivers with citations for the offense.