Baguio roads set for pay- parking

By Dexter See

BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance regulating the use of certain roads and streets within the city’s central business district area for pay-parking and for other purposes.

            The ordinance authored by all members of the city legislative body stated that the regulation will be imposed only apply to identified roads and streets within the city’s central business district area to ensure the designation of the said roads for pay parking purposes from 6 am to 9 pm daily.

            The covered road and streets include both lanes of Lower Session Road; Upper Session road,, Leonard Wood road junction to Casa Vallejo, Upper Session road Kalaw Road junction to PFVR gym entry, whole stretch of Kalaw St. fronting Court of Appeals (CA; Assumption Road corner Session road to corner Gen. Luna – left lane; whole stretch of Harrison road to Jose Abad Santos Drive; Calderon St.; whole stretch of Skyworld; Claudio St. from Generica to Phoenix Café; Gov. Pack Road front of Baguio Museum, front of Department of tourism and front of Lion’s Club waiting shed to Lion’s Club entry; Kayang Hilltop road – whole stretch – right lane from Magsaysay Avenue from Kiltepan Merchandise to Dian Juat Furniture and other roads and streets that may be later  on be designated by the city’s Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) with the approval of the City Council.

            Under the provisions of the ordinance, all vehicles not exceeding 5 meters in length will be allowed to park in the designated pay parking areas once the proposed measure is fully enforced.

            Among the vehicles to be exempted from the payment of the prescribed regulatory fees include ambulances, fire trucks, or any vehicle in the official service of the military; authorized vehicle being used in the area for public works or works undertaken for public utilities such as electricity, water or other public undertaking; vehicles which has been directed to a parking space by law enforcers empowered to stop or inspect vehicles; vehicles of a diplomat or other foreign dignitaries and government vehicles being used in connection with an official function conducted in the subject area or within the immediate vicinity.

            The ordinance specifies the regulatory fees to be charged by the city government from those allowed to park in the designated pay parking areas for cars is P35 for the first 2 hours; 15 for every hour or a fraction thereof thereafter, and P20 for the first 2 hours and P5 for very hour and a fraction thereof thereafter for motorcycles.

            According to the ordinance, the regulatory fees shall be collected by personnel authorized and assigned by the City Treasurer.

            For the said purpose, the ordinance stipulates that authority is granted to the City Mayor  to hire as many collectors as may be necessary on a job order basis and whose benefits shall be equivalent to Salary Grade 3.

                        The ordinance adds that 25 percent of the total collected fees shall be set aside as trust fund to be exclusively used for the benefits of collectors, supplies and other costs in the implementation of the regulation.

            The ordinance claims among the prohibited activities in the regulated roads whether the fees had been paid are staging area for public utility vehicles, repair bay except to change flat tires; car wash; vending of whatever articles while using the area; double parking, and others that may be determined by the TTMC.

            Violators of the pertinent provisions of the measure shall be punished under the illegal parking or anti-road obstruction ordinances and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.