Baguio’s first b’gay pay- park project to ease road obstruction

BAGUIO CITY – A barangay-based pay parking project, a first-of-its-kind in the city has been inaugurated at Pinsao Pilot barangay last week.

Punong barangay Sotero Dulaycan said the pay parking area covers 190 square meters situated at Purok 7 of the barangay and can accommodate around 15 motor vehicles at a time.

It was earlier identified by the barangay for the purpose in response to the call of Mayor Mauricio Domogan for the barangays to provide parking alternatives for residents who have no spaces in their residences following the implementation of the mayor’s anti-road  obstruction order in October last year.

The mayor then encouraged barangays to identify available lots either public or private for conversion into a pay parking lot as an enterprise for the barangays.  He said the income generated can be used by the barangays for their needs and projects. 

The pioneering pay parking structure in Pinsao Pilot is located at the ground floor of the building earlier constructed to house the barangay satellite market, a project funded during the time of former Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr.

  The barangay last year sought the help of Rep. Marquez Go to fund the completion of the structure which will now house the satellite market at the underground floor and the parking structure at the ground level. 

Go was able to source out P2 million enabling the completion of the project this year as implemented by the Baguio City District Engineering Office through project engineer Ernesto Eguilos.

The structure was inaugurated last week in simple rites attended by Go, BCDEO officer-in-charge district engineer Rene Zarate and construction section chief Alfredo Bannagao Jr.

Dulaycan said the barangay will come up with rules as to the use of the pay parking structure.

Mayor Domogan last year issued Administrative Order No. 116 creating the “Operation Anti-Road Obstructions” task force composed of various agencies to implement transportation and traffic regulations to address illegal parking and other illegal obstructions along public roads and highways within the city.

The task force was directed “to cause the removal of illegally parked vehicles, equipment, including junked items that are parked, occupying or protruding to the roads, construction materials occupying the right-of-way such as sand, gravel, cement, lumber and steel bars, earth spoils, waste materials, debris, embankment, heaps and the like and all kinds of illegal structures such as houses, buildings, shanties, stores, shops, stalls, sheds, canopies, billboards, signages, advertisements, fences, railings, garbage receptacles and the like obstructing city roads and streets in accordance with existing laws and regulations.”  - Aileen P. Refuerzo and Rosa Moresto