The one with the ways to beat Makati parking fees

Riddle me this, Fatman: what went on in the minds of Makati City government to make them charge P30 for parking for two hours and an additional P40 per hour after that, with only a three-hour maximum, afer which your car gets towed?

Here are some theories about what went on during their "brain"storming session:
1. People need to park, it's a necessity since they work there, so let's make as much money off 'em as we can.
2. They get a cut from the trains, buses, jeeps, and taxis that ply the area; with parking prices so exorbitant, people will be forced to take public transportation.
3. It's funny watching young professionals make a dash for their offices after getting caught in sudden downpours from their far-away parking at the Ayala mall.

The way it works out, Ayala mall parking from 7AM to 7PM (if you're forced to park because you're coded, and Makati doesn't accept the 10AM to 3PM window), at a P40 starting rate (for four hours), with P15 additional hourly rate, will cost you P160. You may spend as much as P210 if you decide to linger past 7PM for dinner and a movie. Assuming you don't, and do the regular 8AM to 5PM shift, you will spend P115 (because it's impossible for you to work eight hours including parking and walking time), and you will therefore work in at least one additional hour to travel to and from your place of parking.

At P115 a day, you will spend P2300 on parking alone.

Commuting a better option? Really? Have you waited 30 minutes in crushing human traffic to get a ride from the train, then battled rush hour to get a jeep or taxi to take you to work? Terrible. If there's an FX that takes you straight to Landmark, good for you, but how much is that? P50, one-way? Two-way, you've spent P100 to and from work, and still gotten in line.

There's no convenience like having a car, despite the gas and parking fees. You're blessed to have a car. Your time and health are just as valuable as your money.

So if you park in a mall or parking lot with a starting fee, here's a tip to help you maneuver around the sneaky Makati traffic, worst case scenario: park for four hours, go to work. Come back before your four hours are up. Take your car out, pay the P40, come back in again. You'll pay only an additional P75 for the new four hours (plus one hour walking time) instead of the P75 you would otherwise pay if you stayed the entire eight hours in the parking area. Certain places in Makati charge less starting rate (P40 is for Greenbelt 4. It's P35 at Greenbelt 1, and P30 at the open parking area facing McDonald's).

There are other parking lots that charge less, but those are usually full by the time you come into work. You can work out your own parking scheme based on where in Makati you are.