BACOLOD City – The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) will continue to tow illegally parked vehicles.
The accreditation and memorandum of agreement (MOA) of a private firm tapped by the city government to tow illegally parked vehicles expired last Dec. 31, 2023.
The amended City Ordinance No. 1035, Series of 2023 established tow-away zones on various city streets.
This time, said Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr., the citation ticket to be issued to the towed vehicle will come from the city government and not from Metro Towing Services (MTS).
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has yet to grant accreditation and formulate a MOA for the third-party company. As such, the city’s legal officer said MTs s not allowed to conduct towing and collecting fees.
MTS is, however, lending to the city government its towing truck.
The SP committee on laws, ordinances, and good government chairperson, Councilor Al Victor Espino, said if MTS wanted to renew its agreement with the city, they must submit a letter to the City Mayor’s Office. Mayor Alfredo B. Benitez would then ask for the city council’s authorization to sign the MOA./PN