By Robert B. Roque Jr.
Metro Manila’s towing and impounding system is getting a makeover, courtesy of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), and it’s about time.
The new guidelines under MMDA Regulation 24-004 aim to professionalize towing operations and address long-standing complaints from vehicle owners.
If you’re wondering what’s new — instead of automatically hauling illegally parked or stalled vehicles to the Tumana impounding site in Marikina City, owners will now have other options.
Motorists can choose to have their vehicles towed to their homes, repair shops, or nearby gas stations.
The MMC said the towing rates will remain unchanged but must now be clearly displayed on towing trucks for transparency.
Another significant shift is that Metro Manila will be divided into five sectors, with one towing service per sector awarded through a bidding process. All towing companies must register with the MMDA and meet strict documentation and vehicle requirements.
While these changes promise fairness and efficiency, allow me to warn about limiting each sector to one towing company. This might turn out to be a monopoly service, risking bad behavior and efficiencies by the chosen towing firm.
Accountability must be ensured and towing personnel should also handle vehicles with utmost care.
Bicol needs support
Meanwhile, my heart pours out for Bicolanos at this difficult time, particularly in Catanduanes, where Nature’s wrath has again displaced thousands.
In the past months, rains and floods have been merciless. This week, there’s not even a typhoon — but heavy rains battering the region and forcing over 46,000 individuals from their homes across 254 barangays in four provinces.
Families are crammed into evacuation centers or seeking refuge with relatives, as floodwaters inundate 32 local government units. Vital roads and bridges have been rendered impassable, choking access to aid and livelihood.
President Bongbong Marcos should be concerned about this humanitarian crisis unfolding under the shear line’s persistent assault.
Beyond relief goods, the President should realize that the Bicol region will need long-term strategies — flood control projects, sustainable urban planning, and enhanced disaster response.
Bicol has of late absorbed the scourge of climate disruption with courage, but hopefully its plight is given relief by the national government. This situation does not have to be the new normal for them.
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