Parking Fees on Baguio Roads

Images sourced from PIO Baguio

For those runners and travelers who are always left with the option to park at some road sides in the Baguio CBD, worry now, because parking fees are already being collected once you decided to park, unknowingly and deliberately.

I was one of those who parked near SM Baguio on a Sunday afternoon, 14 March, 2021, 6:01 PM to be exact, and an employee of the Traffic and Transport Management Division of the City Engineering Office approached me.

To think that it was a Sunday afternoon so it should be worry-free for parking areas.

I asked the employee and they started it already last Thursday, 11 March 2021 and I immediately checked some online resources and indeed, it already started. He even informed me that it is safe when I kiddingly asked if the vehicles will still be secured.

So, I can no longer parked Boogie, my car, freely within Baguio CBD and jogged because my jogging experience will cost me 50 pesos.

50 pesos for the first 2 hours. 20 pesos for the remaining 1 hour for a maximum allotment of 3 hours only.

Road sides are beyond the commerce of men because tax payers own these roads. The repairs and maintenance of such road sides came from the taxes of tax payers so why collect additional expenses from tax payers?

Maybe because some abusive tax payers are also parking for 8 hours along these road sides.

Or, maybe because it is the COVID-19 pandemic season so the city needs to have a source of income too.

Nevertheless, we just need to follow and look for alternative parking areas like the Baguio Cathedral which has a 10 pesos per 1 hour of stay or SM Baguio which has 50 pesos with no time limit except for overnight parking.

You just need to exercise better judgment and plan your jogging within the schedule of 7:01 PM to 6:59 AM because these times, you can still park and jog without paying 50 pesos.

50 pesos is not a small thing. Multiply it by 30 days and that is 1,500 pesos if you will be jogging for 30 days, straight.

And also, take note of the exempted ones… City Hall employees using City Hall vehicles included from the Exemptions…

Let’s wait for the next election and see what will happen…

You decide.

From PIO Baguio City Facebook Post (7 March 2021):

COLLECTION OF REGULATORY FEES ON USE OF ROADS FOR PARKING TO START MARCH 11
Note: Questions may be directed to 09177366208/09778194670
Starting March 11, the city government will start collecting regulatory fees for the use of certain roads at the Central Business District.
This is pursuant to Ordinance 68 series of 2020 β€œRegulating the Use of Certain Roads/Streets within the Central Business District in the City of Baguio” approved by the city council and ratified by Mayor Benjamin Magalong in June last year.
The City Engineering Office under City Engineer Edgar Victorio Olpindo will implement the collection through the Traffic and Transport Management Division headed by Engr. IV Januario Borillo.

FEATURES OF THE ORDINANCE:
☝ROADS COVERED (designated roadside parking spaces are properly marked)
🚩Lower Session Road (whole stretch and both sides)
🚩Upper Session Road (Leonard Wood Road junction up to Casa Vallejo)
🚩Upper Session Road – (T.M.Kalaw Road junction to PFVR) Gym entry;
🚩T.M. Kalaw St. (whole stretch fronting Court of Appeals (CA) and Supreme Court cottages
🚩Assumption Road (corner Session Road to corner Gen. Luna – left lane)
🚩Harrison Road (along Melvin Jones grandstand up to opposite of Patriotic High School)
🚩Calderon Street (whole stretch of Skyworld area)
🚩Claudio Street (from Generica to Phoenix Café)
🚩Kayang Hilltop Road (whole stretch, right lane towards Magsaysay Avenue
🚩Other roads and streets that may later on be designated by the City Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC), with approval of the City Council.
☝TIME OF REGULATION: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily.
☝ALLOWED VEHICLES: Four-wheeled vehicles not exceeding 5.5 meters in length
☝MAXIMUM PARKING HOURS: Vehicle owner shall pay regulatory fee upon parking based on the number of hours it needs. Maximum period will be three hours in a parking slot. A grace period of 15 minutes is allowed.
☝REGULATORY FEES ((Please prepare exact amount)
🚩Four-wheeled vehicles not more than 5.5m — P50.00 for first 2 hours; plus P20.00 for the succeeding hour (note the 3-hour maximum time allowed). A fraction of more than 15 minutes is considered 1 hour.
🚩Motorcyles — P20.00 for first 2 hours; plus P10.00 for the succeeding hour (note the 3-hour maximum time allowed). A fraction of more than 15 minutes is considered 1 hour.
☝VIOLATIONS AND FINES:
🚩Exceeding maximum parking hours — P500 for motor vehicles; P100 for motorcycles
🚩Clamping or towing — P1,500 for towed vehicles, P500 for towed motorcycle; P1,000 for clamped vehicle, P300 for towed motorcycle
🚩Refusal to pay regulatory fees — Immediate towing or clamping, removal of plate number and payment of the following fines: P1,500 for refusal to pay, P1,500 towing and P1,000 for clamping.
☝PROHIBITED ACTS IN PARKING SPACES: staging area for PUV, repair bay except for flat tires, carwash, vending while parked, double-parking and others that will obstruct, prevent or modify the intended use of the spaces
☝EXEMPTIONS:
🚩Ambulances, firetrucks, or any vehicle in the official service of the PNP, BJMP and AFP with proper markings and which are in the area for the conduct of official function;
🚩Authorized vehicles used in the area for public works or works undertaken for public utilities such as electricity, water or other public undertaking;
🚩Vehicles directed to the parking space by law enforcers for purposes of inspection;
🚩Vehicles of a diplomats or foreign dignitaries and their entourage;
🚩 City Government vehicles and vehicles of City Government officials actually used by them
🚩 Vehicles that are part of the official entourage in an official activity happening within or near the regulated parking areas;
🚩Other vehicles requested by the City Mayor to be exempt by reason of an official activity.
🚩Ordinance No.149, series of 2020: Senior Citizen and PWDs – who are residents of Baguio and with valid Senor/PWD ID are exempted from paying parking fees on the first 2 hours only; additional hours incurred should be paid at the rate stated in the Ordinance. The Senior/PWD should be the one driving the vehicle.
Here’s the link to Ordinance No.149, series of 2020 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=718608678791257&id=306028116715984

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