Building owners required to set parking for motorcycles

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Owners of buildings, establishment parking sites are now required to allocate a portion of their parking lots for motorcycles and bicycles.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan ratified Ordinance No. 19 series of 2019 or the “Motorcycle and Bicycle Parking Ordinance in the City of Baguio” imposing said requirement.

“Nowadays, there are numerous individuals and associations that prefer motorcycles and bicycles as their mode of transportation (but) riders find difficulty in parking due to lack of parking spaces designated for their means of transport that often times, they park their (ride) in any space or area causing obstruction to motor vehicles and pedestrians alike,” the measure read.

The measure covers buildings required by law to provide parking spaces, establishments which provide parking spaces for its use to employees, clients and/or tenants, parking areas whether pay or free parking maintained, managed or supervised by the City Government of Baguio, barangay or private entity and designated common parking space.

As stipulated in the measure, the number of parking slots for motorcycle and bicycle will be determined by the owner of the building or management or officer-in-charge but a minimum of two slots for motorcycles and two slots for bicycles with bicycle rack to be provided in the designated parking space. 

“Motorcycle Parking” and “Bicycle Parking” signs should be installed on the designated parking space.

The City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) has been tasked to oversee the implementation of the ordinance.

The covered establishments will be notified and given 30 days to comply with the requirement. 

Meanwhile, the ordinance also mandates the City Engineering Office-Traffic and Transportation Management Division to designate within 30 days from effectivity of the ordinance the parking space for motorcycles and bicycles in parking lanes within the Central Business District except in places where motorcycles and bicycles are not allowed to traverse and the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) to do the same in city parks where parking is applicable.

The barangays may likewise designate parking space for motorcycles and bicycles.

Violators will be fined P5,000 initially and another P5,000 for every one month delay in compliance.

The measure also provides that motor vehicles that will park on spaces designated for motor and bicycles and vice versa will also be liable for illegal parking.

                The measure was authored by Couns. Benny Bomogao, Michael Lawana, Faustino Olowan, Vice-Mayor Edison Bilog, Couns. Leandro Yangot Jr., Edgar Avila, Joel Alangsab, Maria Mylen Victoria Yaranon, Peter Fianza, Lilia Fariñas, Arthur Allad-iw, Francisco Roberto Ortega VI and Levy Lloyd Orcales