Heads of the different traffic offices in the city recommended the permanent exemption of senior citizens from the city’s number coding scheme from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
In their report to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the traffic technical working group composed of heads the traffic and transportation divisions of the Baguio City Police Office, City Engineering Office and the Public Order and Safety Division said that data culled from the traffic experiment conducted from August 19, 2024 to January 31, 2025 showed that allowing senior citizens free access of the streets for medical and work purposes on said hours had negligible impact on the city’s traffic situation.
“(Data) on the number of flagged down senior citizens due to the Number Coding Scheme did not cause significant increase in the volume-to-capacity ratio (VCR) and there were no worsened Level of Service (LOS) for the road stations,” the TWG noted in the report.
In view of this, the TWG recommended that senior citizens who are Baguio residents be exempted from the scheme only for medical and work purposes for which they must be prepared to provide proofs when flagged down and only on the hours between 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
They also recommended that taxi units whether driven by or carrying senior citizens be excluded from the exemption to prevent possible abuses.
In the event that the exemption causes an increase in the volume-to-capacity ratio and level of service and worsening of other traffic-related parameters, the TWG reserves the right to recommend for the modification of the ordinance relative to the seniors’ exemption.
The recommendations will be submitted to the city council for consideration in relation to Ordinance No. 40, series of 2024 which sought to exempt motor vehicles transporting senior citizens who are residents of the city, either as driver or passengers, to and from a medical clinic, hospital or place of work from the city’s number coding scheme which the city council approved last year.
The mayor, wary that the measure might complicate the already problematic traffic situation, vetoed the measure not to be taken as an objection to the noble aim of the ordinance but to give way to a traffic experiment to help the city determine the impact of the exemption and the extent of the exemption that can be provided.
The TWG is composed of BCPO City Director Ruel Tagel, BCPO Traffic Enforcement Unit PMaj James Dogao, POSD Head Daryl Longid, OIC CEO-Traffic and Transport Management Division Head Amy Jane Gas-ib, and Acting City Engineer Orlando Genove. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
