Does SM own the road at Luneta Hill?

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY –Heavy traffic is still a headache here with the resumption of activities to “rehabilitate” roads after the Christmas break even as constituents and visitors have to contend with the problem due to other factors.

A question often asked by motorists is whether the Luneta Hill road was bought by SM as security guards of the giant firm are lording it over the thoroughfare directing traffic and making drivers move out from areas they consider “no parking areas” but opening these to parking on their whims.

I had the misfortune of parking along the road across the main entrance this holiday break. A security guard accosted me saying I couldn’t park in the area. I told him, as far as a knew, the road was public property so I had all the right to park considering there was no “No Parking” sign along the road.

He was at a loss so he called his supervisor. I repeated what I told the guard telling him to call the police so we could settle the matter by determining if motorists are not allowed to park in the area. He said he didn’t want it to go that far so could I please move my vehicle?

I told him again to call the police so the matter would be settled, but he didn’t, so I left the vehicle and went inside one of the restaurants for an appointment, while he was fuming.

This incident actually happened to me at least five times. But since I didn’t want to be bullied, I left the vehicle there whenever the security guards accosted me. Strange, but they never called the traffic cops who should know whether the road is private or public property or whether I was violating a parking law. I called up some cops I knew and all had the same reply: the road is public property.

Before anything untoward would happen in the area over similar situations, it would be appreciated if the city government clarifies whether the road was included in the deal for SM to occupy Luneta Hill.

The clarification should include the metes and bounds of the area, particularly on status of the road before a hot-headed motorist shoots someone particularly a security guard.

The so-called firewall could be used for parking purposes. Or was the road called a firewall so that motorists would have to park inside SM and pay P35 everytime they do so?

Enough of SM for a while. Methinks parking should also be allowed along city roads at all times of the day including Mabini as traffic is still alright even if both sides of the road are occupied by vehicles. That 6-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. prohibition, sad to say is incomprehensible.Where would people park?

People are left with no option but to pay parking fees at the Cathedral where the Roman Catholic Church is making a killing and SM, where Henry Sy is also making lots of moolah.It is good this prohibition along Session Road was lifted.

On closing pedestrian lanes, a comprehensive evaluation report on its benefits to include coordinated traffic signal lights with timers for vehicles and pedestrians installed at said lanes is wanting.

City officials had requested closure of pedestrian crossings along Harrison Road fronting Bank of the Philippine Islands and beside Jollibee Harrison as these reportedly put pedestrians in danger due to vehicles from Lower Mabini and Calderon streets.

The danger could have been overstated, but then, the lanes could be moved a few meters away so people could easily traverse to Burnham Park and back.

During a recent meeting among city officials including the police, a reclassification of trunkline colors was requested and endorsed to the Department of Transportation Communication and Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board.

The need for public utilityvehicles’ drivers to wear uniforms to identify them as frontliners for tourism was also cited during the meeting.

The Baguio Tourism Council said drivers and transportation personnel should wear color-coded uniforms. It was proposed that PUJ drivers wear green, yellow, blue and red and be in a light blue t-shirt with collar during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and in casual clothes Sundays.

Green trunkline PUJ drivers were advised to wear green shirts with collars on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Yellow trunkline PUJ drivers were also told to wear yellow shirt with collar, blue trunkline PUJ drivers in white shirt with collar and red trunkline PUJ drivers in red shirt collar on Tuesdays and Thursday.

The use of seat belts, early warning devices during trips, were also pointed out; with the drivers in neat appearance with properly displayed DOTC-LTFRB identification card, in the vehicle.

Public utility bus drivers, conductors and inspectors were also advised to wear white shirt, with company and DOTC-LTFRB identification card every trip. Drivers’ uniforms for school service, tourist transport, shuttle service, trucks-for-hire service, and van/utility van were also specified in the standards set by concerned officials of the 1-united transport koalisyon, Cordillera, Region 1 and II.

Several business establishments’ request for exemption from the truck ban have been denied for consistency with ban implementation.

Moreover, requests for parking spaces, loading and unloading areas for public utility vehicles associations have been denied, due to the rationalization scheme. Assigned areas for specific trunklines should be strictly enforced, traffic members agreed.

A number of public utility vehicles however would be given number coding exemption during emergency situations.

Considering all these, it would be a boon if the city government could come up with comprehensive solution to these issues – and of course, return control of public roads occupied by SM to proper government authorities.