19/06/2024
๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐
Mayor Benjamin Magalong clarified that the congestion fee discussed during the public consultation on the proposed Smart Urban Mobility project last June 5, 2024 and which drew negative reactions is not yet final and is just part and parcel of the proposal of a private company being presented to the public for scrutiny and transparency.
โWe welcome your opinions and sentiments because this is precisely why we are holding these public consultations so as not to leave the public, the stakeholders in the dark and to also know your sentiments to guide us in our succeeding action,โ the mayor said.
โBut let us remember that nothing is final yet and the P250 congestion fee presented was just part of the results of the feasibility study conducted by the proponent company Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) which will still be subject to further consultations,โ the mayor said.
He also corrected notions and misconceptions that the amount was arbitrarily set by the city government for the sake of imposing fines and causing people more financial burden as some camps were claiming.
He said that the amounts and computations presented by the MPTC during the consultation were based on the feasibility study the company conducted for the unsolicited proposal it submitted to the city government for its smart urban mobility project under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.
According to the MPTC, the P250 mobility fee mentioned is from their study which shows that โat P250 mobility fee, 20 percent of motorists will change their travel pattern and will not travel during peak hours.โ
The proponent said the study also showed that โcongestion fee is an effective policy to reduce the congestion levels within the business district of the city.โ
The MPTC however assured that it will continuously engage the public and stakeholders on their proposed project including the proposed fees to reach more sectors and determine their pulse.
It will be recalled that the city government issued a call for unsolicited proposals for smart mobility and transportation system in 2022 in response to the need for solutions to the cityโs perennial traffic problem and modernize the cityโs public transportation system to create reliability and efficiency that people would have reduced need to use their private vehicles.
The MPTCโs proposal was in response to the cityโs call for offers.
The company said that the current public engagements being conducted including the June 5 public consultations were in compliance with the new PPP Law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
The company said its proposal is โcomposed of four, integrated, interconnected, and interdependent components that make up a holistic and tailor-fit solution for Baguio City.โ
These are:
*Advanced Traffic Management System with integrated command center. Existing traffic signals will be modernized to Smart Signals and adaptive to demand. These signals will include a feature that it will prioritize pedestrians
*Smart Parking Management Solution where major parking facilities will be installed with hardware and systems that will be monitored in a central system so parking facility owners and motorists know parking availability; therefore, reducing the time to look for a parking space โ reducing vehicles circulating on the roads
*Advanced Public Transport Management Solution where every jeepney will be equipped with GPS so that passengers know arrival times through LCD screens that will be included in PUV waiting stops as well as through the smart city apps to be provided as part of the proposal. Taxis will be integrated too in the transport management system.
*Mobility Fee Program. The proponent has proposed that this will be applicable during peak hours only. It was also mentioned in the June 5 public consultation by the proponent that there have been considerations for residents of Baguio city to have reasonable exemptions from the Mobility Fee Program, such that they can reasonably make essential trips such as going to work or school without having to pay Mobility Fees. There was mention during the public consultation that PUJs, School Service vehicles, response vehicles are others are considered to be exempt under the proposal of MPTC. โ Aileen P. Refuerzo
