Baguio approves uniform guidelines on barangay parking

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong signed City Ordinance No. 04, series of 2022 as passed by the City Council setting the guidelines for the enactment of parking rules among the 128 barangays in Baguio City.

The barangays may charge parking fees on facilities they owned or managed with collection of parking fees based on the approved rate during the barangay general assembly.

Further, the ordinance allows the barangay to assess fees on allowed on-street parking with the following standard rate: day parking shall be from 7AM to 7PM with a minimum of P35 but not exceeding P50 for the first three hours plus P10 every succeeding hour per slot; and overnight parking from 7PM to 7AM the following day with a flat rate of P100.

“Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual payment of parking fees on facilities owned or managed by the barangay and on allowed on-street parking may be adopted by the barangay,” the ordinance states adding “regardless of the mode of payment, parking must be on first come, first served basis.”

Parking fees collected shall accrue to the exclusive fund of the barangay and the barangay shall pay for the cost of receipts from the city government.

The ordinance states that the barangay shall not be held liable for any loss or damages on parked vehicles.

The ordinance was crafted after the City Council noticed different barangays have been submitting their local ordinances concerning parking regulations and traffic schemes to the Sangguniang Panlungsod with varying parking fee rates.

The city council considered the obstruction and congestion impact of unabated vehicle parking along barangay roads, city and national roads in crafting the “Uniform Guidelines on Barangay Parking Ordinances in the City of Baguio.”

The ordinance provides that designated parking areas in the barangay should have a favorable endorsement from the City Engineering Office – Traffic and Transportation management Division (CEO-TTMD) with vicinity parking plan specifying the location and number of parking slots; and, approval of the proposed parking ordinance during the Barangay General Assembly.

Signages and markings for on-street parking will be a uniform design prepared and provided by the CEO-TTMD.

Barangays are not allowed to legislate parking ordinances nor enter into any agreements that tend to impose and mandate the collection of rent, parking fees or maintenance fees covering staging and loading areas designated for public utility vehicles; parking areas within parks or facilities owned or managed by the city government of Baguio or the national government; national roads and road within the perimeter of the central business district except when the CEO-TTMD will not designate the same for roadside parking to be regulated under City Ordinance No. 68, series of 2020.

Barangays are disallowed to designate parking space for a particular person, vehicles or number plate. However, the barangay may designate parking spaces for the use of its officials, employees and clients within the barangay hall premises, offices and parking facilities.

Existing barangay parking ordinances shall continue to be enforced for one year from the effectivity of this edict to amend their respective ordinances in conformity with the provisions of the Uniform Guidelines on Barangay Parking Ordinances in the City of Baguio. – Jessa P. Samidan