Clear penalties for abuse of disabled parking proposed; Php10,000 excessive or not?

Senator Leila de Lima has filed a measure seeking to impose stiff penalties for unauthorized use and obstruction of the parking areas exclusive for persons with disabilities (PWDs), especially in public places. In Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1622 filed last Nov. 29, De Lima seeks to give guaranteed parking spaces for PWDs in public places, set the guidelines on who can utilize such exclusive areas, and penalize those who obstruct their accessibility routes. “Without clear penalties for the unauthorized use and obstruction of such designated spaces, social media is abound with posts of drivers who brazenly and wantonly disregard disabled parking spaces,” she said in a statement on Sunday. Senator de Lima proposed a minimum of 10,000 pesos in fine. (Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/949433/de-lima-senate-bill-pwd-parking-space-persons-with-disabilities-unauthorized-use-obstruction#ixzz50AuGJJ7E Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook) The abuse and/or misuse of disabled parking permits has been identified as a major problem in the US, with some estimates indicating the majority seen on the street are used or obtained fraudulently.[19] The substantial privilege and convenience granted by a permit provides a major incentive to use one illegally or obtain one fraudulently, and medical privacy law often confounds attempts to identify truly disabled individuals from abuses. In 1999, 19 of UCLA's current and former football players were charged with abuse of disabled parking placards.[20][21][22] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disabled_parking_permit#Abuse)