By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
The recent announcement of City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan to clear roads of obstructions is laudable but perhaps is a number of years late. Take any cab to anywhere in Baguio City and the driver would be ranting against all sorts of vehicles illegally parked causing traffic, frayed nerves, high blood pressure and time and fuel wasted. In Metro Manila the daily value of time and fuel wasted due to horrendous traffic is estimated in the billions of pesos. In Baguio and La Trinidad, it surely runs in the tens of millions.
While many Baguio Roads should be totally no-parking areas at any time of the day and night, there are many roads where one side can be used for parking. Where will people park? More so during tourist peak seasons. We are not promoting the city as a tourist area only to make our invitees suffer by destroying their vacation mood due to lack of parking areas. Take this with the fact that there are so many other lowland vacation areas already.
In the barangay where we hold office for instance, both sides of the main road are supposed to be no-parking areas. But there are no parking areas around so people just park on any side. But come to think of it, the road is wide enough to allow one side parking and it can be made pay-parking for the barangay to earn some amount.
Perhaps such irrational rules as no-parking when a street could accommodate one-side parking and the inaction of the city for many years regarding road obstructions is the result of city officials not going around street by street and determine what rules to come up with for the convenience of constituents.
There are also more roads—aside from those designated as such—that can be made free for parking at certain hours of the day. This of course needs some street by street evaluation.
And for the life of me, why are parking fees not being collected along city roads. This can be a good source of funds for the city and the barangays. “Good” in the sense that those with vehicles are supposed to be financially able to contribute to the local government’s coffers that will be ploughed back in terms of better services and worthwhile development projects.
How about the City Council what is it doing about these day to day problems? It never explored coming up with legislation to give incentives for businesses or lot owners who offer areas for parking purposes.
And for the traffic or parking problems to ease, people have to sacrifice. It should start from City Hall employees. Why are there so many parking areas around City Hall allotted to employees who just sit in their offices the whole day. They should be made to leave their cars at home. Those whose work, however, entail some going here and there, by all means, they should be allotted parking spaces.
Going back to the City Council, why can’t it even pass an ordinance granting incentives in the form of tax rebates or deductions to landowners who can plant and care for trees within their lots? It looks so simple and stupid but it can go a long way in making the city green and in reducing its carbon footprint.
Yes, simple and stupid but as highly beneficial as the simple and stupid measures PDu30 adopted for drivers’ licenses to be valid for 5 years and passports for 10 years, and the issuance of the FOI executive order. **
