Exemption to Baguio vehicle coding mulled

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The city council is considering exempting private motor vehicles and chartered public utility vehicles of tourists or participants of sanctioned activities such as conventions and conferences from the coverage of the number-coding scheme.

An ordinance for this purpose was proposed by Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas and Councilors Perlita Rondez, Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Galo Weygan, Nicasio Aliping Jr., Antonio Tabora Jr., Erdolfo Balajadia, Nicasio Palaganas, Isabelo Cosalan Jr., Richard Cariño, Fred Bagbagen, Elaine Sembrano and Joel Alangsab.

The proponents said the presence of private cars does not substantially affect the traffic situation at the central business district as shown by the implementation of the number coding scheme for private vehicles as embodied in Administrative Orders Numbered 218, Series of 2007; and 7 and 39, both series of 2008, for the periods 22 November 2007 up to 30 May 2008, respectively.

“The City of Baguio, being a prime tourist destination in the North, should provide a comfortable and stress-free journey to its guests by affording them the convenience and freedom of touring and exploring the various tourist attractions of the City in the comfort of their personal vehicles or chartered public utility vehicles (PUV),” the councilors said.

“The city is also a preferred venue for various sanctioned activities such as conventions, conferences and assemblies and such the delegates and/or participants would be provided easy access to and from their places of residence to the venue of their respective activities and even to the different tourist-oriented places of the City.”

“With the success of the new CBD traffic re-routing scheme, it has been observed that traffic in the CBD has been greatly reduced. Therefore, it is timely to again amend the number coding scheme ordinance,” the aldermen further said.

As proposed, exemption will be granted to private motor vehicles and chartered public utility vehicles of visitors/tourists/vacationers or participants of sanctioned activities such as conventions, conferences and assemblies.

The number coding scheme already exempts the following: Chartered mini-buses from outside the City of Baguio used for lakbay-aral or excursion purposes; government-owned motor vehicles with red plates used in the performance of official functions, vehicles of the Philippine Postal Corporation used for mail delivery, armored cars used by banks for bulk money transfer, motor vehicles used in cases of emergency posing danger to life and limb and water delivery trucks when assisting in fire control.

Others include service vehicles of public utility companies performing emergency repairs within the number coding zone; and schools services registered by the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board ferrying preschool, elementary and high school students from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in schools located within the number coding zone by virtue of Ordinance No. 31-2004.

The measure is being considered for approval on second reading.