Baguio City A series of consultations with the stakeholders in Baguio City indicates that one of the most pressing concerns with regard to transport in Baguio City is the congestion and vehicle population increase resulting from increasing population. According to the Baguio City Environment and Parks Management Office, 62% of the total carbon dioxide emissions in the city is attributed to the transportation sector. More than half of the motor vehicles likewise use diesel fuel due partly to the topography of the city. The challenges in limiting the volume of vehicles on the road are further aggravated by the following: (a) the lack of parking management strategy to effectively reduce the private vehicles, and to ensure space for the loading and unloading zones of public utility vehicles; (b) the inadequacy of infrastructure for non-motorized transport and public transportation, including the inefficiency of the system of the existing ones, to encourage motorists to shift to such modes of transport; (c) compliance of public utility vehicles and private vehicles to vehicle emission standards, and; (d) lack of implementing body and authority to manage all transport and traffic operations, rules and standards, engineering, and education of public transport operators. A participatory workshop with the stakeholders indicates that they primarily have a desire for the city to have a decongested central business district, a more efficient public transport system, and a better infrastructure for non-motorized transport. This provides an initial basis for directing two policy options for Baguio City: the creation of Transport and Traffic Management Office which shall be the sole body to administer all matters relating to transport and traffic, and the amendment of Ordinance Numbered 7-84, or otherwise known as the Traffic Code.

I. Introduction

Possessing a pleasantly cool climate, Baguio City is one of the most popular travel destinations in the Philippines, especially during the summer months of April and June. It is located 251 kilometers north of Manila by road and 41.8 kilometers by air, and is surrounded by land within the province of Benguet. The surrounding terrain around Baguio is rugged and sloping, dotted with hot springs, and cut by rivers that drain into many valleys. The city, composing of 129 barangays, is bounded to the north by La Trinidad, to the east by Itogon, and to the south and west by Tuba. The total land area of Baguio was originally 48.9 square kilometers, but this has been increased to 57.49 square kilometers in 1969 pursuant to Republic Act 3092 of the Revised Administrative Code. With City Hall as a point of reference, the land area of Baguio extends 8.2 kilometers from east to west and 7.2 kilometers from north to south. The city has a perimeter of 30.98 kilometers. Similar to the rest of the western half of the island of Luzon, Baguio has wet and dry seasons of equal duration, but it experiences heavy rainfall because of its high elevation. Baguio is the highest city in the Philippines, with elevation ranging from 900 meters along the Bued River to 1600 meters at Pacdal. Majority of the slopes are gentle to moderately steep with a mean slope of 36%. About 1,060 hectares in the city have slopes less than 20%, while approximately 20 hectares have slopes of 0-10% (level to nearly level). Baguio City had a population of 226,883 in 1995, and recorded a total number of 252,386 people in May 2000, indicating a 10.1% increase in the duration of five years. In August 2007, this number hit the 300,000 mark, with population registering at 301,926. By 2010, the population reached318,676. The population increase from 2000 to 2010 represented an annual population growth rate of 2.36% (National Statistics Office, 2013). The population in 2011 was 334,280. Table 1 and Figure 1 outline and illustrate the increase of the population from 1980 to 2011.

Baguio City

Table 1: Total Population of Baguio City, 1980 to 2011

Census Total Population (in thousands)

1980 84.5 1990 119.0 1995 226.9 2000 252.4 2007 301.9 2010 318.7 2011 334.3

Source: National Statistics Office

Figure 1: Baguio City Population, 1975 to 2011

Source: National Statistics Office

II. Transport Characteristics

Baguio City is served by metered taxis and jeepneys within the city limits. Various bus operators link Baguio to the other provinces in Luzon. Vehicle registration trends in year 2010 to 2011 are illustrated in Table 2. The percentage increase from year 2010 to 2011 of cars was at 6.65%, of SUVs at 21.46%, of buses at 22.35%, of trucks at 26.35%, and of motorcycle at 27.31%. Most vehicles increased in number except for public utility vehicles (PUVs). Figure 2 shows the vehicle registration statistics from 2006 to 2011.

Table 2: Vehicle Registration, 2010 and 2011

Year Car PUV SUV Trucks Buses Motorcycles Trailers Total 2010 6,892 18,346 2,390 2,049 85 3,574 58 33,394 2011 7,350 17,869 2,903 2,589 104 4,550 49 35,414

Source: Department of Transportation and Communications

Source: Department of Transportation and Communications

There are seven major bus companies serving passengers traveling to and from Baguio City. These provide transport services mostly in Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordilleras and Cagayan Valley to as far as Zambales and Quezon Province. Some buses also cater passengers from the mountain province via Halsema Highway‒ La Trinidad Road and other adjoining mining towns of Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay all in Benguet. Mini-buses caters trips from nearby provinces in La union and Pangasinan. Trip patterns within the city have its usual route from a specific barangay to the central business district (CBD),and vice versa, because Baguio City is “monocentric” in nature as illustrated in Figure 3. It is further described in Table 3 where average person-trip length for vehicles is roughly 4 to 5 kilometers from barangay to the CBD and vice-versa. Public utility jeepneys (PUJ), each of which having an average occupancy of 18 passengers, dominate the trip-making activity with a mode share of 74% during morning peak hours. PUJ is one of the most common and one of the cheapest modes of public transportation in the country. Mini-

Figure 2: Vehicle Registration Trend, 2006 to 2011

buses as a mode of public transport are for passengers traveling to the nearby provinces such as La Union and Pangasinan.

Figure 3: Baguio City’s Central Business District as Monocentric type

Table 3: Travel Activity for Morning Peak Hour, 2012*

Mode

City-wide mode share of person trips

(%)

Average person-trip length

(km)

Average occupancy (passenger per vehicle trip)

Walking 10.00 0.44 N/A Car 8.50 4−5 2.64 PUJ 74.00 3−4 17.78 Taxi 3.30 4−5 2.41 Mini-bus 2.00 70 21 Motorcycle 2.00 4−5 1.37

Source: Dr. Mark de Guzman

*The survey was conducted in October 2012 in Naguilian Road-Ferguson Road intersection, where the number of vehicles and the vehicle types going to the central business district were documented. The number of passengers for each type was simultaneously logged to determine average occupancy. The average trip length was determined through a survey on motorist perception on their travel time. Average travel time is 4 to 5 kilometers from home to the central business district is 4 to 5 kilometers because of the monocentric nature of the city.

The average speed of vehicles in Baguio City during peak hours is 16 kilometers per hour, and 20 kilometers per hour during non-peak hours. Vehicles in Epifanio Delos Santos (EDSA) highway run at an average speed of 15 kilometers per hour during peak hours. Comparing the values indicates that traffic congestion is also evident in Baguio City roads during peak hours.

III. Issues and Challenges

According to the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), 62% of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Baguio is attributed to the transportation sector. Nearly 60% of all motor vehicles use diesel fuel due to the mountainous terrain of the city. Figure 4 illustrates the trend for diesel fuel use from 2004 to 2011.

Source: Department of Transportation and Communications

Most of the taxis in the city have new gasoline engines running at 11 kilometers per liter. Old diesel engines run at 9 to 10 kilometers per liter. Table 4 shows the different mode of motor vehicles and its gasoline or diesel consumption per liter.

Table 4: Gasoline consumption of vehicles from home to the central business district* Mode Gasoline (km/L) Diesel (km/L) LPG (km/kg) Car/Van/SUV 8−9 (new engine) 5 N/A PUJ 8−10 6−10 N/A Taxi 11 (new engine) 9−10 (old engine) 0.5 Motorcycle 30 N/A N/A Mini-bus N/A 3.3 N/A Bus N/A 2.6 N/A Source: Dr. Mark De Guzman *Motorists were interviewed on their perception of daily gasoline and diesel consumption.

A series of stakeholder consultations has likewise been held in Baguio City, which gathered representatives from CEPMO, Transport and Traffic Management Committee (TTMC), Sanggunian Panlungsod, Traffic Management Unit (TMU) of Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM), including representatives from the public transport sector such as Samahan ng mga Taxi- Cordillera Administrative Region (ST-CAR) and Victory Liner, the regional offices of Department of Health, Department of Public Works and Highways, Environmental Management Bureau of

Figure 4: Vehicle Fuel Type in Baguio City

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation and Communications, and Regional Highway Patrol Unit (RHPU),and the academe such as St. Louis University and University of the Philippines−Baguio. One of the primary concerns of the stakeholders is the rapid population growth. Baguio City is a highly urbanized city designed for 250,000 people; however, the current population has already exceeded 300,000, which has yet to include the tourists entering Baguio City. Having a population that exceeds the carrying capacity of the city has been observed to contribute to the congestion and hence to the degradation of air quality primarily as a result of increasing vehicles on the road and their emissions. Land use plan and mixed use development The Baguio City government has recently prepared the draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) for the time period 2010-2020, which is addressing some of the measures that form part of the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework. The Zoning Ordinances (ZO) and Sectoral Studies that compose the CLUP come as natural complements of the local Environmental Code Books which have been updated in 2012. Together with relevant past ordinances that will be detailed below, they constitute the backbone of the local strategy for air quality management. The existing Land Use Plan of Baguio City, presented in the latest CLUP1, suggests that so far the city is poorly developed on mixed use development principles, and that there is a strong segregation of use in the city, which is probably due to the urban topography. The CBD, commercial areas and the main institutional buildings are all located in the valley and form a core around which residences spread on dozens of kilometers in all directions. The 2010-2020 CLUP reformulates the Land Use Plan and proposes only some changes such as the improvement of commercial areas along major roads that connect this core to the suburbs, and diversification of commercial and residential areas, as illustrated in Figure 5. This might be insufficient to reduce congestion as long as people will always need to commute to the central area for work and shopping and as long as there is no efficient mass transportation system.

12010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 1: Brief Profile of Baguio City, p. 46

Figure 5: Proposed Land Use Plan of Baguio City

Source: 2010-2020 Baguio City Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Parking management Furthermore, stakeholders expressed the need for better parking management to address the congestion inside the CBD and in other busy roads. In Baguio, one of the most pressing concerns is the illegal parking along some streets such as Harrison, Session Road, Magsaysay, while some vehicles in other areas are parked encroaching into the sidewalks. (Roads are further reduced by illegal loading and unloading of passengers of PUVs, and vehicle maintenance services such as repair and car-wash are also done on the streets) Parking management can be considered as a short-term and one of the simplest strategies to avoid traffic congestion and air pollution. Strategies are often determined in terms of supply of parking spaces relative to the number of vehicles or in terms of management of the existing parking facilities to ensure that they are efficiently used(Litman, 2013). In Baguio City, the stakeholders noted that the increase in the number of vehicles and the resulting congestion and emissions would require a parking management strategy that will accommodate vehicles more efficiently and more orderly, such as having a central parking station at the perimeter of the CBD, and will discourage the use of private vehicles, such as imposition of higher charges on existing facilities. Stakeholders have suggested that the provisions on parking in the National Building Code have to be implemented. Broad requirements for parking provision law in the Philippines are set up by laws at the national level, but local governments are granted some room for manoeuvre to adapt to the local urban context: “Parking space requirements shall comply with the provisions of the National Building Code and its Implementing Rules and Regulations which is under the supervision of the City Building Official”2. Past ordinances, mainly in the 2000s, have tried to support the requirements. Parking outside official parking spaces has been made illegal for instance3. In 2008, to ease traffic on the busiest streets of the city within the Central Business District, parking has been forbidden on Session Road, Abanao Street and Upper Mabini Street from 6a.m. to 9a.m. and from 4p.m. to 7p.m., when congestion reaches a peak4 . The Baguio City government has also undertaken to make parking management more inclusive vis-à-vis people with disabilities (PWDs) by reserving parking spots for them5. This should notably prevent them from roaming the city in search of a proper spot where they can safely get out of the car (e.g. double parking is dangerous). The 2010-2020 CLUP identifies parking management as a major issue in the city, notably the lack of parking spaces for PUJs and the poor respect of required parking provision in big establishments6. The CLUP however proposes broad or specific policies to tackle the problem: “strict implementation of the National Building Code”, “provision of adequate parking facilities”, “regulate parking at CBD roads”, “construction of a pay parking facility at the Old City Auditorium and at Burnham Park”. Finally, the “identification of loading and unloading areas [of PUJs] and placing of visible sign boards through the enactment of Parking Rationalization”7 is meant to allow PUJs parking on specific spots and not on the road. The biggest challenge remains to be implementation. Lack of police manpower and financial resources prevents enforcement of such ordinances, as often expressed during the three city visits. The case of Ordinance Numbered 33 from Series of 2006 is symbolic of such an issue: it officially repeals Ordinance Numbered 003 (Series of 2000) which had set up on-street parking payment, due to the impossibility to implement it. Indeed, parking attendants did not have the authority to enforce traffic rules, and notably to prevent drivers from double parking.

22010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 2 – Zoning Ordinances

3Ordinance Numbered 003, Series of 2000

4Ordinance Numbered 106, Series of 2008

5Ordinance Numbered 108, Series of 2008

62010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 3: The Sectoral Studies – INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITY, p. 4

72010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 3: The Sectoral Studies – INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITY, p. 3

Public transportation and non-motorized transportation While the stakeholders have expressed that there could be a central parking station at the perimeter of the CBD so that the people can utilize non-motorized transit (walking and bicycling) and public transit upon entry to the CBD, the infrastructure for non-motorized transport and public transportation is not adequate. One of the primary reasons why PUVs roam the streets of Baguio is because there is no central terminal/parking for their use. Stakeholders noted that there must be a reduction of units on the road because the number of jeepneys, for instance, has been estimated to be 4,437. This can be checked by means of color-coding the operators, i.e. the taxis registered in Trinidad will be colored differently than those taxis registered in Baguio City. Likewise, alongside the promotion of the shift to public transport, the engines of PUJs and taxis must be modernized and upgraded to achieve maximum efficiency with lowest possible emissions. Shifting to improved walkability, on the other hand, is a strategy that is rising on the agenda of local governments. If for a long time, it was deemed not being a proper transport mode (unlike motorized vehicles and mass public transportation), now it is recognized as a central factor of liveability in cities and an essential aspect of urban mobility. Most of the efforts in Baguio City to improve walkability seem to concentrate on the greening of the city and the removal of illegal vendors on the streets, which indeed are two real issues in the city. “The 2010-2020 CLUP reassesses the need to implement the ordinance banning the broiling and vending of street foods along the CBD8. As far as greening is concerned, Article 13 of Book V (“Biodiversity”) of the local Environment Code officially states that the months of June, July, August and September of each year are dedicated to tree planting, in order to improve the liveability of Baguio City, on which walkability highly depends. The same Book specifies that tree cutting is strictly forbidden unless new seeds replace the old tree. The 2010-2020 CLUP also plans to make Baguio City a greener city: green corridors are to be built along major highways9. However, at the image of what Book II (“Land”) of the local Environment Code proposes, policy strategies remain advice rather than real legal measures: “Reconfiguration shall be implemented in any of the following concepts: Promotion of other forms of mobility (e.g. walking, cycling); Pedestrianization of city roads, Road beautification and re-greening; Increasing green areas and decreasing concrete cover; and Promoting non-pollutive mass transportation system”10. Other ordinances, such as the ban on smoking in public areas and more importantly anti-noise pollution targeting notably abusive horning11, could potentially increase walkability in Baguio City. Finally, the 2010-2020 CLUP proposes that Session Road be made a promenade area to limit pollution levels in the CBD12. Infrastructure policy however remains the primary lever that can increase walkability. In this perspective, the Baguio City government has installed new CCTV cameras in the CBD area, notably in Abanao Street, lower and mid-Session Road, Legarda Road, Magsaysay Avenue and Harrison Road(Fianza, 2009). Such a measure is multi-purpose and aims to tackle three major issues: crime, littering and illegal obstruction of sidewalks from parking notably. The CLUP also encourages the “provision of pedestrian walkways as a policy in all major and barangay streets to promote healthy lifestyle and save on energy costs”13. Again, the success of such policies/ordinances depends on their implementation, which in some cases can be very challenging (for instance, keeping parking spots for PWDs). Other flaws in the local strategy for walkability can be pointed out. In particular, the decision to reduce the number of pedestrian lanes along Session Road from 6 to 3, and, according to the Environment Code, traffic endangers pedestrians there(Fianza, 2011). The second city visit to Baguio City also made another issue surface: the pedestrianization of Session Road encountered the opposition of local business owners who deem walkability non-profitable to their business. They indeed consider access for motorized vehicles their best income opportunity, hence the point of campaigning (cf. Section V) on the economic benefits of walkability. In

82010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 3: The Sectoral Studies – PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, page 10

92010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 1: Brief Profile of BaguioCity

10BaguioCity Environment Code Book II (“Land”), 2012, page 10.

11BaguioCity Environment Code, Book III “Air”, Article 8

122010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 1: Brief Profile of Baguio City, page 76.

132010-2020 Baguio City CLUP, Volume 1: Brief Profile of Baguio City, page 51.

addition, proposals for colored pedestrian lanes for PWDs have been made within the local government decision structure, but its translation into ordinances is still expected. The decision to create parks is finally completely independent of the civil society wishes, since only the Mayor and a few City officials can make such a decision14, which is then more unlikely to happen given the multiple interests the City Hall may follow. Additionally, bike transit may be more challenging in Baguio City than in any other flat city because of its sloping terrains. The bikeability of a city indeed depends on its topography, but surely this is not the only factor that can potentially influence people’s willingness to bike, so encouraging biking or a bike-sharing system remains feasible. As pointed out during the city visits, bikes in Baguio City are only found in parks, which suggest that the road network has not adapted to cycling. Despite the 2010-2020 CLUP recommendation to encourage cycling, it does not properly address both bikeability and the instauration of a bike-sharing system in the city. If some measures, such as the greening of the city, enforcement of parking rules and removal of street vendors would, if implemented, benefit both pedestrians and bike users, there is a lack of infrastructure policy for biking, e.g. bike lanes, bike racks. The bike-sharing system may be actually harder to achieve simply because users may use the bikes from uphill to downhill only.

Inspection and Maintenance Stakeholders noted a study that indicates that the average age of the sampled vehicles in the city is around 16 years. DOTC currently limits the age of buses to 15 years, of taxis to 13 years, and of AUVs, multicabs and vans to 10 years. After a taxi franchise has reached 13 years, the model of the taxi must be replaced. A pressing concern is the compliance of second-hand vehicles, jeepneys and AUVs to emission standards. In the case of Baguio City, the age of vehicle is sometimes not as significant as the importance of maintenance of vehicles, i.e. newer vehicles could be less roadworthy than the second-hand vehicles from another country where the vehicles have stricter emission limits. Numerous drivers may disregard the inspection and maintenance of their vehicles until the standard age limit. Due to inconsistencies in the results of smoke emission test machines, stakeholders also believe that Roadside Inspection, Testing and Monitoring Team (RITMT) under Clean Air Monitoring Unit (CAMU) of CEPMO must be the official body that will carry out the function of emission-testing. The local government of Baguio City has formulated and implemented Ordinance Numbered 61, Series of 2008 entitled “Clean Air Ordinance of the City of Baguio” which was passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Baguio on 07 July 2008 and approved by the former City Mayor Reinaldo A. Bautista, Jr. The ordinance included roadside inspections and monitoring tests of diesel-fed vehicles by the RITMT. These activities found that there is a 54% passing rate of vehicles, which generated PHP 374,000 in fines in 2010 according to CEPMO. Emission-testing mobile units have been used to perform random spot-checks on vehicles. There is a limited area for the conduct of these inspections since there are only two emissions testing machines according to CEPMO personnel. CEPMO described Baguio City’s Ambient Air Quality as “good to fair” (Cleto, 2010) based on the National Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values (NAAQGV) shown in Table 5.

14

BaguioCity Environment Code Book V (“Biodiversity), 2012, page 69.

Table 5: Air Quality Management, 2009

Baguio City has recently developed a whole strategy of inspection and maintenance against polluting vehicles, and has taken responsibility for its operations and implementation. This notably distinguishes Baguio City from Iloilo City where such responsibilities remain in the hands of the national government. The main achievement of the local government is the creation of the local CAMU through the CEPMO, via Clean Air Ordinance. Being trained by national entities (LTO, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which monitors testing equipment, and the DENR), CAMU is in charge of carrying out roadside inspection and monitoring, of managing a public hotline for reports of non-compliance regarding vehicle emissions, and finally creating a database of smoke belching and other polluting vehicles in the city. Through its RITMT, CAMU in Baguio City is responsible for the enforcement of emission standards set up at the national level by the DENR. Comprehensive guidelines on the procedure of smoke emission tests by government and private firms have been adopted in July 2013 to resolve the discrepancies of test results conducted by RITMT and private emission testing centers (PETCs). The full guidelines are outlined in Box 1.

Box 1: Guidelines on the Conduct of Vehicle Smoke Emission Tests as Contained in Memorandum of Agreement

1. That no vehicle shall be exempt from the RITMT Operations as implemented by the Clean Air Monitoring Unit (CAMU)-CEPMO with the following guidelines and procedures:

1.1 The City's smoke testing machines have the capability to test all gas, diesel and LPG fed vehicles

whether they are newly released by manufacturers/dealers or overhauled; 1.2 Newly overhauled vehicles that have undergone a general overhaul are afforded a 30 calendar day

grace period, while partially overhauled vehicles are given a seven calendar day grace period, provided that during the roadside inspection, they are able to present the official receipts from a DTI accredited and City-permitted auto/mechanic repair shop;

1.3 The PETCs shall maintain a database of all tested vehicles classified accordingly (Type, Manufacturer, Model, Fuel Type, Owner and Contact address recorded on CR, Current Owner and Address, RPM, K value, Opacity, Hydrocarbon (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Oxygen (O2), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), etc.) where the City, through CEPMO, will provide a database form/template for the purpose of PETC data recording, similar to RITMT-CAMU's database. The PETCs and RITMT-CAMU shall furnish the CAMU-TWG with a copy of their databases, on a quarterly basis, for the information of the TWG, to allow objectivity, for purposes of comparison and assessment, and for use as basis in

Criteria Pollutants Minimum (µg/NCM)

Maximum (µg/NCM)

Standard*, (µg/NCM)

Air Quality Indices**

Particulate matter (PM10) based on 24-hour averaging

25 155

(Dec. 31, 2009) 150 Good to fair

Sulfur dioxide based on 24-hour averaging

4.66 11.50 180 Good

Nitrogen Dioxide Based on 24-hour averaging

52.57 112.91 150 Good

Ambient ozone based on 8-hour averaging

30.63 71.03 60 Good

Carbon monoxide based on 8-hour averaging none none 10

No data since the GFC halted due to

technical problems Source: Environment Management Bureau, Department Of Environment And Natural Resources – Cordillera Administrative Region *The National Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values is a list of hazardous pollutants with corresponding ambient guideline value or standards necessary to protect public health and safety; and general welfare. **The air quality indices include a set of pollution standards indices of air quality aimed to protect public health, safety and general welfare. Implementation and enforcement of corrective measures are also contained at local government level.

making recommendations to help facilitate the harmonization process; 1.4 The CEPMO shall furnish all concerned manufacturers/dealers about failed smoke belching test

results of the manufacturers' newly manufactured- released vehicles for their information and appropriate action; (reckoning date/year of newly manufactured)

1.5 The CEPMO will regularly furnish the DOTC-CAR and the BCPO a list of unclaimed confiscated items related to RITMT operations, as reference for the issuance of Traffic Clearances.

2. To resolve the discrepancy of the smoke testing results between PETCs and the RITMT, there is need to

harmonize the system, procedures and standards to be used in testing of vehicles as follows:

2.1 That the TESDA shall require a simultaneous training of PETC and RITMT technicians in the procedure of emission testing.

2.2 That PETCs should install/activate tachometers in their smoke testing machines and shall be a requirement by the City for the issuance of a business permit;

2.3 The minimum-maximum RPM standard to be used by both the PETCs and the RITMT-CAMU for emission testing of diesel-fed vehicles will be as per attached Annex A, prepared by CEPMO and agreed upon by all concerned;

2.4 That there is a need to synchronize the procedures required by the Clean Air Act (RA 8749) and the operations manual of the smoke testing machines for precision and repeatability of test results to be supervised by the CAMU-TWG for both the PETCs and City owned smoke testing machines. (not only in the manual, see 2.1);

2.5 A simplified protocol of the emission shall be posted by PETCs; 2.6 The PETCs and CEPMO-CAMU/RITMT testing machines used in emission testing should be calibrated

every six months by the EMB-DENR, Central Office or the DTI-BPS accredited calibration laboratory. Results of calibration of PETC machines shall be furnished to the CAMU-TWG;

2.7 That the City Government of Baguio, through the City Mayor, shall request the approval of DOTC-LTO Central Office that all vehicles to be registered at the DOTC-LTO Baguio Office shall have their vehicles tested only by certified PETCs located within Baguio's jurisdiction;

2.8 Refusal of the PETC shall be a cause for denial of business permit or renewal thereof; 3. All technicians of PETCs and CEPMO-CAMU/RITMT should be TESDA certified – a holder of a Certificate

of Competency (COC) on Service Emission Control System. The City and the PETCs should require their technicians to enhance their skills through regular upgrading/refresher and assessment evaluation trainings by TESDA-CAR on test procedures calibration and other updates relative to the implementation of Clean Air Ordinance and Clean Air Act (RA 8749);

4. The City will continue to advocate that all vehicle owners undergo regular voluntary testing for the

vehicle owners' monitoring purposes. 5. The Transport Group, PETCs, and the other stakeholders shall provide one representative each to join,

assist or observe in the RITMT operations for check and balance; 6. The CAMU-TWG will immediately conduct, on a quarterly basis, parallel emission testing for PETCs and

the RITMT to synchronize testing procedures and results; 7. Non-compliance of PETCs to the guidelines and procedures is a ground for warning, suspension,

cancellation, and non-renewal of their Business Permit, upon the recommendation of the Technical Working Group (TWG).

8. Non-compliance by any of the RITMT team members to the guidelines and procedures, after due process,

shall be ground for warning, suspension and removal from work upon the recommendation of the Technical Working Group (TWG).

9. There shall be created a CAMU-Technical Working Group to be headed by the CEPMO composed of the

following agencies and organizations: DOTC-LTO-CAR; EMB-CAR; DTI-CAR; TESDA-CAR; BCPO-Traffic

Management Unit; City Legal Office; Health Services Office; Baguio City Public Transport; ST-CAR; PETCs; Non-Government Organization-Alay Sa Kalinisan Incorporated.

The CAMU-Technical Working Group having the following functions and duties, to wit:

1. Check and evaluate the credibility of the smoke emission testing machines and technicians and other pertinent requirements needed in the operations of PETCs and City/CEPMO-CAMU RITMT.

2. Craft a course of action to enhance the synchronized procedures and guidelines for the PETCs and RITMT.

3. Conduct continuing on-the-spot checking and monitoring of PETCs and CEPMO-CAMU/RITMT operations and submit findings and recommendations to the City Mayor;

4. Conduct investigations relative to complaints arising on PETCs and City CEPMO-CAMU-RITMT operations and submit findings and recommendations to the City Mayor;

5. Review and recommend revisions or amendments of the Clean Air Ordinance to render it more appropriate at all times. Prepare reports, technical and progress reports for the information of the City Mayor and all concerned functionaries.

Source: Refuerzo, Aileen (July 5, 2013).Gov’t, private transport groups, testing centers adopt rules on smoke emission tests. Website of Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, http://mauriciodomogan.com/home/1914-govt-private-transport-groups-testing-centers-adopt-rules-on-smoke-emission-tests.html Baguio City has also then developed a skilled labor policy to allow good inspection and maintenance of the vehicles plying through its streets. Owners of the vehicles that fail roadside emission-testing shall be applied a fee that is gradually increasing should offense be repeated. The said vehicles must then undergo a validation emission-testing by the CAMU after the necessary maintenance/repair has been undertaken by the vehicle owner. The validation emission-testing leads to the issuing of a Validation Emission Certificate (CAMU VEC), which is necessary for the owner to retrieve its vehicle plate and/or its driving license. Polluters must also follow a seminar conducted by CAMU. Asian Development Bank (ADB) considers behavioral change strategies as fundamental to the success of any policy, and air pollution reduction indeed requires such change. Interestingly, the government of Baguio City has undertaken to do so. The Clean Air Ordinance of 2008, which is also part of the local Environment Code, has created a Local Clean Air Fund that collects polluters’ fees and testing fees to reuse them to strengthen the anti-pollution policy of the city. It notably help finance activities of CAMU, help promote clean fuels, help organize campaign/advocacy on the proper preventive maintenance of motor vehicles to minimize emissions of air pollutants, and any other program aiming to improve the ambient air quality of Baguio City. Two limits can be drawn from the city visits and the contents of the Clean Air Ordinance. First, if the campaign and advocacy for clean air in Baguio City is open to the civil society (as stated in this same Ordinance), it is only on a voluntary basis, which is not the ideal solution if we consider that the behaviors need be changed (and thus there is a lack of initial consciousness on the air pollution issue, which should make people unlikely to volunteer). Second and most importantly, there is a major issue regarding the presence of PETCs in the city Baguio, which jeopardizes both the authority and the operations of CAMU at the local level. Two PETCs centers were ordered for one-month suspension in July 2012 and had to pay the penalty of PHP 30,000 for inconsistencies in testing procedures, while one was ordered for cease of operation for “falsified test results and non-appearance of vehicle owners during tests”(Agreda, 2012). The reason why these PETCs have not respected the testing procedures is not clearly stated, but corruption certainly lies behind. Because the CAMU team is strict on emission standards compliance, people prefer to go to private centers where they know they can pass the tests in exchange of some extra money, in order to avoid penalty fees and maintenance/repair of their vehicle. PETCs are however allowed both by the Clean Air Act (national) and the local Environment Code of Baguio City.

Authority The Avoid-Shift-Improve framework remains to be partly followed in Baguio City. Several measures are being taken to address parking management and walkability, but the policies seem to be more scattered than constituting ambitious programs with funds and proper implementation. In this perspective, a lack of implementation strategy is very detrimental to the policies of the Baguio City government. Without it, ordinances may remain inked on paper with no real consequence on the urban fabric, because local authorities have limited budget and human resources. The stakeholders primarily noted the need for a single authority which will oversee all transport and traffic issues. There is presently no central office in Baguio City that manages the transport, traffic and the traffic personnel. The stakeholders proposed the creation of Transport and Traffic Management Office (TTMO) which, as the sole body in Baguio City that shall perform all functions related to traffic and transportation management, shall ensure the fundamental aspects of sound transport and traffic management, namely the enactment and enforcement of traffic laws, the road and traffic engineering, and the education of drivers and public transport operators. The TTMO shall also undertake the management of parking in Baguio City. There is a lack of data on traffic and transportation, including but not limited to the terminals, routes, air quality, pedestrian counts, and evaluation of existing infrastructures such as the sidewalks and the parking. A study must likewise be conducted concerning the healthy costs of the pollution in Baguio, and income loss in the tourism sector, among others, to provide an impetus to the local government. The existing TTMC presently does not have sufficient authority and budget. According to a stakeholder, there was a proposed ordinance requesting for the creation of a Traffic and Transport Management Authority (TTMA) in the past, however, the council cannot obtain a certificate of availability of funds for the personnel because they have exceeded the 45% ceiling as far as personnel is concerned. The main achievement nonetheless seems to be the Clean Air Ordinance of 2008 which devolves some responsibilities to the local level in terms of inspection and maintenance, laying the foundation for the recent formation of the guidelines on the conduct of smoke emission tests, and which allows financial decentralization through the Local Clean Air Fund. In the long term, this may allow the city to develop a very powerful and efficient institutional system to fight polluting vehicles, but only a combination of successful programs in the three branches of the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework can result in significant air pollution reduction and improved well-being.

Concerns of the Stakeholders CONCERNS REMARKS Avoid

Parking management

Illegal parking on the road, sidewalks, and on unloading/loading zones. Management strategy does not discourage private car use.

Shift

Non-motorized transportation

Walkways are not in satisfactory condition. Wide sidewalks becomevendors’ paradise.

Public transportation

The engines of jeepneys and taxis must be modernized and upgraded. No central terminal/parking for their use.

Improve

Roadworthiness of vehicles

Numerous drivers disregard the inspection and maintenance of their vehicles until the standard age limit.

Emission-testing centers

Inconsistencies in the smoke emission test results of PETCs and RITMT

IV. Visioning and Prioritization

The stakeholder consultations included a visioning exercise which was designed to bring the participants together in shaping their transportation aspirations for their cities three to five years from the present. The stakeholders were divided into three groups and were tasked to render their visual representations of their visions with the use of cut-outs of various transport infrastructure and elements, as illustrated in Figure 6. The stakeholders shared their vision of having a centralized multi-level parking station outside of the CBD where people will get off of motorized private vehicles and will begin walking toward their destinations inside of the CBD. To encourage a shift to walking, an elevated walkway interconnecting all overpasses is to be constructed. It is to be closed in the evening to deter vendors from setting up on the skywalk. The future Baguio City that the stakeholders envisioned is predominantly a decongested CBD. To achieve this, the first group pictured a centralized multi-level parking station and a centralized PUV station including waiting sheds to be constructed at the perimeter of CBD. As passengers alight at the perimeter of CBD, they are to be accommodated by an elevated walkway that primarily serves Harrison, Session, Magsaysay, and Ibaraw. The walkway will interconnect all pedestrian overpasses within the CBD. Furthermore, to deter illegal vending and theft, ample lighting is to be ensured by the use of tempered glass or hard plastic, and the elevated walkway is to operate only until 9 pm and roll-up doors will be locked at night. To accommodate people carrying heavy things, trolleys may be provided at the center of the elevated walkway, which is to be found at intersection of Magsaysay Blvd. To entirely encourage non-motorized transportation, Session Road is to be pedestrianized on Sundays, or only a limited number of vehicles is going to be allowed inside the CBD, most of which are to ply through the major routes only. Ideally, public transport modes that are found at the perimeter of the CBD are adequate to pick up and drop off passengers from the residential zones. To make the city more accommodating to bike commuters and to encourage biking as a form of transit and not merely as a form of leisure, bike lanes are to be placed on the appropriate roads such as those leading to Lake Drive and South Drive. Traffic control devices are also going to be constructed in more locations to move the motor vehicles, the pedestrians and the bikers safely.

The second group likewise pictured bus terminals at the perimeter of Baguio province being served by smaller feeder vehicles, i.e. a relatively smaller mass transit system, in which passengers are to be transported from these bus terminals into the CBD. Additionally, stakeholders envisioned that the concept and operation of bus rapid transit (BRT) system can be replicated by PUJs, which are going to be upgraded and modernized. The third group noted that, once the city has shifted to using electricity-run PUJs, charging stations are to be made available at the waiting sheds and terminals, and an agency is to regulate the central charging of the jeepneys. The rest of the public transport modes are to be upgraded, including the triycles that employ two-stroke engines. The three groups envisioned a Baguio that “heals its people and guests,” is “clean and walkable,” and is “an environmentally sustainable place to live in and a world-class tourist destination in 10 years.” They envisioned the building of a cable car system around the 7.7-kilometer circumference of Baguio to link it to its neighboring provinces. This system is envisioned to be the game-changer for the tourism in Baguio City as tourists and residents can catch sight of the vast lands full of trees and of winding roads.

Stakeholders envision Baguio City

with a decongested central business

district, with a more efficient public

transport system, and with better

infrastructure for non-motorized

transport.

Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas graced one of the workshops on Oct. 24, 2012 to give the opening remarks.

Figure 6: Visions of the Stakeholders

Prioritization After discussing the state of urban transport,the detrimental effects of increasing motorization, the calculation of emissions, the concept of sustainable transportation and the various interventionsbased on the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework, stakeholders were tasked to identify the policies they intend to prioritize and the issues they choose to be immediately addressed. They are summarized as follows: (a)creation of traffic and transportation office and the preparation of a master traffic and transportation plan; (b)strict implementation of the building code with respect to the provision of parking.; (c) strict implementation of zoning, especially school zones; (d) motor vehicle inspection systems must be fully operationalized; (e) phasing out of old vehicles, and strict regulations on the second hand vehicles, including imported ones; (f) education and information campaign for all stakeholders; (g) disincentive mechanisms must be created to discourage people from purchasing a car, and; (h) evaluation of existing policies. The consultations were rife with talk about the creation of the TTMO that a move was initiated during the second city visit and signatures of the stakeholders were gathered in support of it. The letter, attached herewith as Figure 7,was submitted to the office of the Mayor. The following actions plans were decided upon during the last city visit:

1. As the Environment Code is being revised, propose a provision to allow for the amendment of Ordinance Numbered 7-84, otherwise known as the Traffic Code, and for the creation of TTMO. If approved, have the relevant stakeholders draft the revised version of the Traffic Code and the inclusion of specific measures that have been discussed during the workshop, which are further enumerated in this document.

2. If not approved, draft a stand-alone ordinance concerning the creation of TTMO and ensure that they be given the responsibility of leading the revision of the Traffic Code.

Stakeholders discuss the policies during the last city visit.

Figure 7: Request Letter for the Creation of a Transport and Traffic Management Office

V. Moving Forward

While the Environment Code is presently being amended, the stakeholders have proposed to include provisions therein for the creation of TTMO for it to have a legal basis should the Environment Code be approved. Files from other cities with a similar office, such as Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) have also been obtained and forwarded to Baguio City as these could aid in discussing requirements for personnel, including their qualifications and their functions, and budget. The following provisions have been submitted for addition in the Environment Code:

Section xx. Upon the approval of this code, Ordinance Numbered 7, Series of 1984, otherwise known as the Transportation and Traffic Ordinance of the City of Baguio, shall be amended to update the provisions including but not limited to the Penalties for Traffic Violations under Article XVI, the Jeepney Routes and Terminals and CBD Parking Allocation (Intra-city) under Appendix A, and CBD Parking Specification under Appendix B. Transport and Traffic Management Office Section xx. Creation – Transport and Traffic Management Office shall be created to rationalize the transport system and the traffic flow in the City of Baguio to address the congestion, the emissions from mobile sources, and the inefficiency in transport sector service delivery. . Its official abbreviated designation shall be “TTMO.” It shall be an attached unit under the Office of the Mayor. Section xx. Composition – TTMO shall be composed of the following key personnel:

a) xx Head b) xx Technical Staff c) xx Administrative Officer

Section xx.Powers, Duties and Functions – TTMO shall perform the following functions:

a) Enactment and updating of the Traffic Code b) Enforce policies related to transport planning and traffic management c) Coordinate for the formulation of the transport and traffic plan of the city

Section xx.Budget Appropriation

References: Agreda, J. (2012, July 21). 3 emission testing centers suspended. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from Sun Star Baguio:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2012/07/21/3-emission-testing-centers-suspended-233163

Baguio City Environment Code Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Baguio City, 2010-2020 Fianza, J. G. (2009, September 9). City street cameras on trial period. Retrieved January 2013, from Official

Website of Baguio City: http://www.baguio.gov.ph/?q=content/city-street-cameras-trial-period Fianza, J. G. (2011, December 30). Ttmc meets for transpo concerns. Retrieved January 2013, from Official

Website of Baguio City: http://www.baguio.gov.ph/?q=content/ttmc-meets-transpo-concerns-0 Litman, T. (2013, May 7). Parking management: Comprehensive implementation guide. Retrieved June 2013,

from Victoria Transport Policy Institute: http://www.vtpi.org/park_man_comp.pdf National Statistics Office. (2013, July 12). Population of 319 thousand was recorded in Baguio City. Retrieved

August 2013, from National Statistics Office: http://www.census.gov.ph/content/population-319-thousand-was-recorded-baguio-city-results-2010-census-population-and-housing

Ordinance Numbered 003, Series of 2000

Ordinance Numbered 106, Series of 2008

Ordinance Numbered 108, Series of 2008 Tebtebba Journal (2012).Indigenous perspectives on the Baguio urban ecosystem.