City to charge parking along CBD roads

January 13, 2020 Metro BLISTT

The Baguio City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance seeking to regulate the use of certain roads/streets within the Central Business District. The ordinance will apply to the following areas situated in specific roads/streets within the Central Business District of Baguio:

The whole stretch of Lower Session Road (both lanes), Leonard Wood Junction to Casa Vallejo, Kalaw Rd. Junction to PFVR Gym Entry (Upper Session Road), the whole stretch of Kalaw Street fronting the building of the Court of Appeals, the Corner of Session Road to the corner of General Luna (left lane of Assumption Road from Session Road), the whole stretch going to Jose Abad Santos Drive (Harrison Road), the whole stretch of Skyworld (Calderon Street), the stretch from Generika to Phoenix Café (Claudio Street), the front of Tourism (Gov. Pack Road), the front of Department of Tourism (Gov. Pack Road), from Lions Club waiting shed to Lions Club entry (Gov. Pack Road), the whole stretch of Kayang Hilltop Road (left lane from Magsaysay Avenue), and from Kiltipan Merchandize to Dian Juat Furniture (Kayang Road).

Other roads will be identified by the Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) in the future, subject to the approval of the City Council.

Under the ordinance, all vehicles not exceeding 5 meters in length are allowed to park in the identified areas provided the owners will pay P35.00 for the first two hours. P15.00 will be added for every succeeding hour or fraction.

Motorcycle owners, on the other hand, will be charged P20.00 for the first two hours. P5.00 will be added for every succeeding hour or fraction. Section 3 of the proposed ordinance identifies the types of vehicles to be exempted from the parking fee.

These are ambulances, fire engines or any vehicle in the official service of the military, authorized vehicles being used in the area for public works, vehicles directed to parking space by law enforcers, vehicles of a diplomat or other foreign dignitary, and other government vehicles being used for an official function conducted on the subject area or within the immediate vicinity.

Once approved, the ordinance will task the City Treasurer to assign personnel to collect the regulatory fees from motorists utilizing the above-mentioned streets/roads.

Upon the enactment of the ordinance, collection of fees will be between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM. The use of these roads will be for free before and after the stated period.

The proposed ordinance stipulates that 25% of the total collection of fees will be “exclusively used for the benefits of collectors, supplies, and other costs in the implementation of this regulation.”

Moreover, the ordinance will prohibit the conduct of certain activities in the identified areas such as repairing, car washing, double parking, vending of whatever articles while using the area, using a certain spot as a staging area for public utility vehicles, and others that may be determined by the TTMC.

The proposed ordinance came about in an effort to curb traffic problems and road violations such as “disorganized parking, rampant obstruction, double parking, and lack of regulation in parking areas, among others.”

The proposed ordinance was approved on first reading on January 6, 2020 during the City Council’s Regular Session and was referred to the Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation, and Traffic Legislation.

Jordan G. Habbiling/ABN