BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance requiring all bus companies to use the tri-boundaries at the junction of the Baguio Dairy Farm along Marcos highway, Lamtang, Irisan and Slaughterhouse Compound as staging areas or bus stations in the city.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated all buses plying various routes shall use the tri-boundaries at the Baguio Dairy Farm along Marcos highway for south-bound buses, the Slaughterhouse bus terminal for buses travelling along the Halsema highway and the Lamtang, Irisan site for north-bound buses.
The ordinance stipulated the local government shall endeavour to develop the proposed bus terminal sites by any of the accepted modes of implementation, particularly, by administration, through private-public partnership (PPP), among others, to fastrack the utilization of the said areas for the prescribed purpose and facilitate the immediate relocation of the bus terminals in the central business district.
The ordinance tasked the City Mayor to prepare the implementing rules and regulations of the proposed local legislative measure to be done in consultation with the affected transport sector aside from the identification of the partners of the local government in the realization of the project.
It will be recalled Baguio City was designed in 1909 by the famous American urban planner Arch. Daniel Burnham for only 25,000 inhabitants but at present, the city’s population has ballooned to approximately nearly 400,000 residents, not counting temporary residents like students and other transient individuals transacting business in the city during the day.
“Obviously, the current population of the city is beyond its intended carrying capacity. The sudden surge in population density has resulted in multifarious urban problems, among them, the traffic woes which is affecting the economy and commerce in the different parts of the city,” Yangot stressed.
He added solutions to the city’s existing problems must be brought forth to at least remedy the prevailing congestions which is a gargantuan task to do so, but as a resilient community, people can easily overcome the current impasse through teamwork, unity and cooperation in strictly adhering to the prescribed rules and regulations governing the implementation of drastic measures to curb the problems triggered by rapid urbanization.
The ordinance added taxis and jeepneys will be tasked to ferry passengers from the bus stations or staging areas to the point of destination of the said passengers.
On the other hand, the ordinance stated it will be the obligation of the local government to develop the said areas so that the same will be suitable for the prescribed purpose and bus companies will be convinced to immediately relocate in the identified relocation sites of bus terminals.
The ordinance was referred to a committee for study and recommendation whether or not the same will be passed on second and third readings by the local legislative body.
By Dexter A. See
