Of the 67 barangays with proposed parking areas, 47 have been inspected and verified by the City Engineering Office (CEO) as of April 30.
These barangays are Loakan-Apugan, Kias, Loakan Proper, Loakan-Liwanag, Camp 8, Sto. Tomas, Upper Quezon Hill, Quezon Hill Proper, Pinsao Pilot, Campo Filipino, Guisad Central, Bayan Park, Lopez Jaena, South Sanitary Camp, DPS Compound, Marcoville, Cabinet Hill, Manuel Roxas, Mines View, Gibraltar, Pacdal, Lualhati, South Drive, Outlook Drive, Outlook, Pucsusan, Holy Ghost Extension, Upper General Luna, Palma-Urbano, Upper Rock Quarry, City Camp Proper, City Camp Central, Bakakeng Norte-Sur, Dontogan, Gabriela Silang, Scout Barrio, Sta. Escolastica Village, West Quirino Hill, Atok Trail, Fort Del Pilar, Honeymoon-Holyghost, ABCR, West Modernsite, East Modernsite, Happy Hallow, West Bayan Park, Pinsao Proper, and San Luis.
The list is contained in the status report submitted by the CEO to the city council in response to the latter’s request for a report on the allowable parking areas in the barangays.
In January 2020, the city government’s traffic technical working group announced that 67 of the 148 barangays have available spaces for on-street and off-street pay parking in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
The provision of pay parking in the barangays was meant to create order in parking and reduce traffic congestion in those areas particularly at night or during emergency situations.
The city government earlier asserted it is best for the city to regulate the pay parking operations in the barangays and that only those surveyed to be feasible for pay parking will be declared as such to avoid complications in traffic situations in those barangays.
However, in a letter dated April 12, 2021, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Baguio City District Engineering Office informed the city government through the CEO that any proposed parking area within these 47 barangays covered by national roads will not be granted as recommended by the Road Right-of-Way Task Force Committee pursuant to Department Order 73, s. 2014, which directs all district engineers to immediately remove or cause the removal of all obstructions as well as prohibiting the use within the RROW of all national roads within their respective jurisdiction.
Engr. Amy Jane Calugay-Gasi-ib of the CEO said barangays with proposed parking spaces covered or overlapping national roads were advised to seek a certification from the DPWH granting them permission to use these areas for on-street parking.
The letter of DPWH has been forwarded to the sanggunian’s committee on public utilities, transportation, and traffic legislation for information and appropriate action. – Jordan G. Habbiling with reports from PIO
