The city council has approved on third and final reading an ordinance allowing the barangays to designate parking spaces and collect parking fees which will accrue to their respective funds.
The ordinance has been transmitted to the City Mayor’s Office to be signed by the chief executive before it takes effect.
The recently approved ordinance prescribes general guidelines to be followed by all barangays when crafting their own parking policies.
According to Councilor Benny Bomogao, chair of the committee on public utilities, transportation, and traffic legislation, there is a need to make these barangays enact parking regulations that are somehow similar by prescribing general guidelines.
Under the ordinance, the barangays shall submit a parking ordinance to the city council for review. The barangay ordinance must include a vicinity parking plan that specifies the location of the parking space and the number of parking slots. The barangay ordinance and the vicinity parking plan must be approved during the barangay general assembly and endorsed by the Traffic Management Division (TTMD) of the City Engineering Office.
The vicinity parking plan, however, shall not cover the staging and loading areas designated for public utility vehicles; parking areas within parks or facilities owned/managed by the city government or national government; and streets/roads within the central business district as delineated by Ordinance 1-2003 (The Baguio City Number Coding Scheme Ordinance), except when the TTMD has certified that the same will not be designated for roadside parking to be regulated under Ordinance 68-2020 (Regulating the use of certain roads/streets within the central business district).
The ordinance prohibits overnight parking for public utility vehicles or any motor vehicle granted with a franchise by the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board in either designated or non-designated areas. Such vehicles shall be considered obstructions.
It also disallows the designation of parking spaces for particular people, vehicles, or number plates. However, the barangay may designate spaces for the use of its officials, employees, and clients within the barangay hall premises, offices, and parking facilities.
The barangay shall decide whether or not it shall charge fees in the parking facilities it owns or manages based on the agreements made between the barangay officials and their constituents during the barangay general assembly.
For on-street parking, the following amounts shall be prescribed as parking fees: P35 and not exceeding P50 shall be paid for the first three hours during the day parking period (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) plus P10 for every succeeding hour per slot; and a flat rate of P100 per slot during the overnight parking period (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.).
Weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, or annual collection of parking fees in parking facilities owned or managed by the barangay and for on-street parking may be adopted by the barangay. However, regardless of the mode of payment, parking must be on a first-come-first-served basis.
Based on the ordinance, existing barangay parking ordinances shall continue to be enforced. However, the barangay shall be given one year from the effectivity of the city ordinance to amend their respective ordinances for conformity. – Jordan G. Habbiling
April 20, 2024
