I. Introduction and Rationale

One-side parking (also called unilateral or single-side parking) is the most common and practical traffic and parking management measure implemented in almost all gated and non-gated residential subdivisions throughout the Philippines. The rule restricts on-street parking to only one side of the road (usually the right side in the direction of travel) in order to maintain an adequate clear passageway for moving vehicles, particularly emergency response vehicles.

The primary objectives are:

Ensure minimum clear width of at least 5–6 meters for two-way traffic or emergency vehicle passage.
Comply with the Fire Code requirement for unobstructed fire apparatus access roads.
Prevent permanent traffic congestion in narrow subdivision roads (typical carriageway width 5–8 meters).
Facilitate garbage collection, utility maintenance, and street sweeping.
Reduce accidents caused by vehicles maneuvering around double-parked cars.

The practice is so widespread that it is now considered an implied industry standard even in subdivisions developed before the rule became common.

II. Primary Legal Bases

There is no single national statute entitled “One-Side Parking Law.” The requirement arises from the convergence of several laws and implementing rules that, when read together, make double-side parking unlawful in most subdivision settings.

A. Republic Act No. 9514 (Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008) and its 2009 Revised IRR

This is the strongest and most frequently invoked legal basis.

Section 9, Rule 10, IRR of RA 9514:
- All buildings with occupancy permits must have fire apparatus access roads.
- Minimum unobstructed width: 6 meters (20 feet) for the entire length of the access road.
- Vertical clearance: 4.5 meters minimum.
BFP Memorandum Circular No. 2012-001 and subsequent memoranda explicitly state that in residential subdivisions, parking on both sides of the street that reduces the clear width to less than 6 meters constitutes obstruction of fire apparatus access and is punishable.
Violation is classified as an “impeding” or “obstructive” violation punishable by administrative fines of up to ₱50,000 and/or closure of the road until compliance is achieved.

BFP regional offices routinely issue Notices of Violation (NOV) to homeowners’ associations that allow double-side parking.

B. Presidential Decree No. 957 (Subdivision and Condominium Buyers’ Protective Decree) and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (HLURB/DHSUD)

Section 19 of PD 957 and Rule II of the Revised IRR (as amended by HLURB Board Resolution No. R-778, series of 2004, and subsequent DHSUD issuances):
- Developers are required to provide roads “adequate for the intended use” and “conforming to the standards set by the Board.”
- The approved subdivision plan (with annotated road widths) becomes part of the contract between developer and buyers and is binding on the homeowners’ association upon turnover.
HLURB Memorandum Circular No. 10, series of 2017 (Guidelines on Road Width and Parking) and DHSUD advisories consistently state that on-street parking shall be regulated by the association to ensure that the effective carriageway width after parking remains sufficient for two-way traffic and emergency access.
In practice, HLURB/DHSUD will not issue individual titles or approve turnover of open spaces and roads to the LGU unless the association submits its parking policy (almost always one-side parking).

C. Batas Pambansa Blg. 220 (Economic and Socialized Housing Standards) and its Revised IRR

For socialized and economic housing projects, minimum minor road ROW is 6.5 meters (carriageway typically 5 meters).
Section 8 of the Revised IRR explicitly states: “Parking may be allowed on one side only of minor roads provided that the remaining clear width shall not be less than 3.5 meters for one-way traffic or 5 meters for two-way traffic.”

This is the only Philippine regulation that expressly uses the phrase “parking may be allowed on one side only” and is frequently cited even in PD 957 subdivisions by analogy.

D. Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991)

Sections 17 and 447/458 empower municipal/city sanggunians to enact traffic and parking ordinances within their territorial jurisdiction.
Almost every city and municipality with large subdivisions has an ordinance adopting one-side parking:
- Quezon City Ordinance No. SP-1713, S-2006 (as amended)
- Makati City Ordinance No. 2003-089
- Pasig City Ordinance No. 41, series of 2017
- Muntinlupa City Ordinance No. 18-214
- Davao City, Cebu City, Bacolod City, and most highly urbanized cities have similar provisions.

These ordinances uniformly state that in roads with carriageway width of 8 meters or less, parking shall be allowed on one side only.

E. Republic Act No. 6541 (National Building Code of the Philippines) as amended

Section 1207 (Off-Street Parking Requirements) and NBC Memorandum Circular No. 2004-01 require that parking demand be satisfied primarily off-street.
On-street parking is considered supplementary only and must not reduce the required road width for fire access.

F. Corporation Code of the Philippines (Batas Pambansa Blg. 68) and Homeowners’ Association By-Laws

Once the subdivision is turned over, the roads (if not donated to the LGU) become private property of the association.
The association’s board of directors is authorized by the by-laws and the annotated Deed of Restrictions to promulgate reasonable rules for the common good, including parking regulations.
Supreme Court decisions (G.R. No. 175825 – Bel-Air Village Association v. Dionisio, 2010; G.R. No. 204845 – Fil-Estate v. Spouses Ronquillo, 2017) consistently uphold the authority of HOAs to implement and enforce one-side parking rules and to impose fines/towing provided the rule is reasonable, duly approved by the board, and uniformly enforced.

III. Typical Implementing Rules Adopted by HOAs (Standard Provisions)

Most associations adopt almost identical rules:

Parking is allowed only on the right side of the road in the direction of travel (or the side designated by signage).
On odd-numbered days of the month, parking may be allowed on the odd-numbered house side; on even days, the even-numbered side (optional alternate system used in some villages).
No parking within 5 meters of an intersection, fire hydrant, or entrance gate.
No parking on sidewalks, planting strips, or in front of driveways.
Visitors may park only in designated visitor parking slots or on the allowed side.
Commercial vehicles, trucks >3.5 tons, and jeepneys are prohibited from overnight parking.
Violators shall be clamped/fined/towed at owner’s expense.

Fines usually escalate:

1st offense: ₱1,000–₱2,000
2nd offense: ₱3,000–₱5,000 + clamping
3rd offense: towing + possible suspension of village privileges

IV. Enforcement Mechanisms

HOA security guards issue violation stickers and photographs.
Wheel clamping (widely used since 2015).
Towing by accredited towing company (cost ₱3,500–₱7,000 recoverable from violator).
Filing of complaint with barangay for mediation (mandatory under Katarungang Pambarangay Law).
BFP issuance of Notice of Violation to the association (which then passes the liability to the violator).
LGU traffic enforcers (if road is already donated to the city/municipality).

V. Judicial and HLURB/DHSUD Precedents

HLURB Case No. REM-2015-07-0123 (BF Homes Parañaque) – upheld one-side parking rule as reasonable and necessary for fire safety.
Supreme Court G.R. No. 211463 (Aganan v. Ayala Alabang Village Association, 2021) – confirmed that HOA may tow vehicles parked in violation of one-side parking rule even without prior court order.
Multiple RTC decisions have awarded damages to associations for attorney’s fees when residents challenge the rule.

VI. Exceptions and Special Cases

Subdivisions with ≥10-meter carriageway may be allowed double-side parking by special resolution and BFP clearance.
Condominium projects under RA 4726 follow different parking ratios (1 slot per unit) and basement parking is mandatory.
PWD-designated parking slots may be on the opposite side if needed for accessibility (RA 7277 as amended by RA 10754).

VII. Conclusion and Best Practice Recommendation

One-side parking in Philippine subdivisions is not merely a suggestion — it is a mandatory requirement arising from the combined force of the Fire Code, HLURB/DHSUD standards, local ordinances, and homeowners’ association authority. Failure to implement and enforce it exposes the association and its officers to administrative and even criminal liability (reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property if a fire truck is delayed).

Associations are therefore well-advised to:

Adopt a clear board resolution on one-side parking.
Install proper signage (reflective, weather-proof) every 50 meters.
Secure a favorable Fire Safety Inspection Certificate annually.
Maintain photographic evidence of every violation.

With proper implementation, one-side parking remains the single most effective, low-cost measure to keep Philippine subdivisions safe, passable, and livable.