BAGUIO’S SMART MOBILITY INNOVATIONS: WILL IT EASE TRAFFIC WOSE?

July 21, 2024 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

Metro Pacific Tollway corporation (MPTC) and ST Engineering are teaming up to improve city’s traffic and public transportation with their Smart Urban Mobility Project. The plan includes better management of buses and
jeepneys, automated parking, and smarter traffic lights to ease the city’s traffic jams and make public transport more efficient. A key part of the plan is to install a new dispatching system with GPS and dashcams in public transport vehicles. The system will help manage routes better by collecting real-time data, meaning fewer vehicles will be waiting around unnecessarily.

Mark De Leon, an MPTC representative, explained, “With a dispatching system, we can say we need two jeeps here
instead of 15 because we know from the data how many people will arrive at a certain time.” The project is expected to take 18 months to fully implement once it gets the go ahead. This includes installing all the necessary hardware and starting data collection. The Smart Urban Mobility Project will target areas in the city experiencing heavy traffic, focusing on improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.

Congestion Fees

A controversial part of the project is the introduction of a congestion fee, intended to fund the new systems and improve public transport. The congestion fee is used to improve our public transportation system,” said De Leon.
The ‘fee’ has raised concerns among residents. One resident said, “People need to know that the 250-peso fee or any amount is just a small part of MPTC’s original plans for the city.” The dispatching system aims to reduce idle vehicles and streamline operations. De Leon assured, “All the fare collection, 100% will go to you.

We have no share in the fare of jeepneys. I hope that’s clear and you will appreciate that we are providing the system and the hardware.” “Even after the concession agreement ends, all their services will already be established in Baguio. If we now allow MPTC to undertake projects in Baguio, which offer no real solutions, they will likely
eliminate existing public transportation and introduce their electric jeepneys called BYAHE (E-Sakay).” Mayor Benjamin Magalong said: “We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that the transition to smart city solutions is smooth and beneficial for everyone”

Jasmin Alala Legpit/UC Intern