Clearing the streets for better traffic flow: Not as easy as it sounds

Street parking is nothing new in the Philippines, especially in urban centers.

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In Metro Manila, it has become part of the normal landscape, where in many instances, there are even pylons or sign boards marking spaces for certain people apparently living in the area.

Many barangays and subdivisions, aware of the traffic that street parking can cause, have found solutions to this. One, which seems to be effective, is to allow parking only on one side of the street. Another, which is not popular because it entails an expense, is an empty lot converted into parking space, for a small fee, of course. But these initiatives have made little impact on the general problem that is expanding its reach as more people purchase vehicles, mostly for reliable mobility to go to work or school.