The dunce’s guide to DLSU parking

The pains of parking around DLSU have become part of collegiate legend, right up there with tales of Thomasians braving through España’s flood waters and UP students turning into ardent political activists. There’s even a popular joke that makes it way around social circles saying, “Sa parking lang naman magaling mga taga-La Salle.”

While it’s obviously not true that Lasallians espouse mediocrity in other, more academic endeavors, it certainly is correct to assume that bringing a vehicle to school is an extremely arduous task, one that could even be likened to an art form that requires meticulous practice to perfection. It’s a craft that is cultivated through a mix of calculated punctuality, spider-like instincts, Schumacher-esque maneuvering, and a lottery winner’s luck. And while practice will keep drivers battle-hardened to every situation of a Lasallian driver life, it is still important to be informed of the many, many parking areas of DLSU, albeit them being completely occupied by midday.

Fret not; while many parking establishments litter the expanse of Taft, the assurance of your vehicle being in safe hands in these establishments is guaranteed (almost).

Enrique Razon Building (3rd to 5th floor)

This is arguably the best place to park for a Lasallian. It has three spacious floors, with each capable of containing, more or less, 50 vehicles at max. The designated spots are wide enough to provide considerable room, even for pickup trucks and vans. Due to its indoors/ nature, it renders cars immune to sun-induced heating and possible dampness in case of rain. It also has the most bang for your buck; tickets (which last up until 10 pm in the evening, mind you) are purchasable in packets of ten for 500 pesos at the accounting offices. The only downside is it fills up really early. Slots are gone by 7:30 am from Monday to Thursday and they’ll only be free en masse again by the height of the afternoon from 3:00 to 4:00 pm.

Beach House

When it’s not a Thursday night, the (in)famous institution daylights as a parking spot for students. It’s pricier than Razon, asking you to pay additional fees of 10 pesos for every hour that you go past your initially intended time of departure. It does have a flat rate although it lasts only for the first five hours of your stay. The good thing, though, is that it fills up relatively later than the previous entry at around 9:30 in the morning. Sometimes, there are still some spots open by 10, but then you’ll have to entrust your keys to the people inside. The area itself is wide enough in spite of the rocky (and sometimes muddy) terrain. Beware, however, of parking under the tall trees by the wall–they will smother your vehicle in various un-pleasantries such as bird waste and squashed fruit-like objects.

Green Court Parking

This is the small little parking space in Fidel Reyes between Starbucks and 7-Eleven. Unlike the previous two that have been mentioned though, this one is bit tighter in terms of space. Cars are placed side by side in an almost claustrophobic manner, allowing only just a sliver of space for the driver to wiggle his or herself out of the door to get out. Because of this, scratches and bumps between vehicles are not uncommon. It charges nearly the same way as Beach except 50 pesos flat rate here lasts for six hours instead of five. A solid drawback, however, is that the person directing the flow of vehicles while parking is a tad obnoxious—he has no problems berating and sarcastically mocking students whenever they fail to heed his instructions correctly.

EGI Taft Tower

Those who prefer the privacy and safety of a roofed setting may want to turn to EGI’s pay parking in case Razon is already filled up. The good thing here is that it employs a flat rate of 50 pesos for the entire day (except for overnight parking), meaning you don’t have to worry about your budget allotment anymore once the initial payment is made. Parking spaces here use two rows per column which means that those that have their vehicles parked in the front part will have to leave their keys to the attendant in case the car at the back wants to leave.

Burgundy Tower

The only good thing we can attest to this one is that its fee is cheap at 50 pesos (flat rate for the entire day). Upon entrance, the guard assigns you a specific parking slot and floor level to rest your vehicle. More often than not, the ones assigned are in the upper floors–5th to 7th. That means that you have to navigate the narrow and dark spirals of the building multiple times to get to your designated spot; this is even harder for those that use long sedans or SUVs. It gets even harder once you finally try to park your car at the given slot. The floors are only slightly roomier than the ramps so you still have to watch the side mirrors closely to avoid scratches. It’s a good place to learn how to drive cautiously, though, so there’s that.

SM Hypermarket

The newest addition to the bunch. This place should be a last resort; only park here when you have nowhere else to go. The garage is safe, wide, and most importantly always available, but the fee is absurd: 30 pesos for the first two hours and an additional 30 more for every succeeding hour. Sorry, but no thanks, Mr. Sy.