The City Council of Manila passed on final reading an ordinance allowing the city government of Manila, through the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB), to auction off unclaimed vehicles in the city’s impounding areas.
Authored by Fifth District Councilor Jaybee S. Hizon, the measure amends City Ordinance 8092, better known as the Traffic Management Code of the City of Manila, by declaring as ‘abandoned’ all impounded vehicles that remain unclaimed by their owners for a period of six months or longer. Such abandonment effectively vests ownership of the vehicles in the city, allowing it to dispose of them through public bidding.
The vehicles, however–mostly motorcycles that had long fallen into disrepair–may only be sold as scrap, owing to the fact that their registration as motor vehicles cannot be transferred to their buyers.
The public auction will take place at least 30 days from notice to the registered owner in writing, who may nonetheless stop the sale by claiming the vehicle and paying all fees and penalties that had accumulated in the meantime.
As of 5 July 2023, there are roughly 600 unclaimed motorcycles lying idle in the city’s impounding areas, causing the city to incur substantial expenses for their storage.
