While Baguio City continues to attract hordes of visitors seeking cooler temperatures, it has long been observed that concrete structures have overtaken the lush greenery that had once been its greatest draw.
The city’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 is laudable, of course. However, this goal is at odds with plans to construct parking buildings or add more parking facilities in the already-congested city center, whether by private entities like SM Prime Holdings or the city government itself. This contradiction poses significant challenges to the city’s environmental goals and raises important questions about the future of urban planning in Baguio.
The city’s carbon neutrality goal
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has been vocal about the city’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. This ambitious target is part of a broader effort to combat climate change and reduce Baguio’s carbon footprint. The city’s efforts include a series of initiatives aimed at reducing emissions, improving air quality, and promoting sustainable practices.
Starting September 22, 2024, the city will launch a campaign to penalize motorists who violate smoke emission standards. This move is a critical step toward reducing air pollution, which has been an ongoing concern in the city. The campaign will target not only local motorists but also those from outside the city, so all vehicles need to comply with emission standards.
In another move aligned with the carbon neutrality goal, the Baguio City government announced last April that it was abandoning plans to construct a parking building on a city-owned lot adjacent to the PFVR gym and Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School at barangay Military Cut-Off. This decision came after public consultations revealed strong opposition to the project from various stakeholders.
City parking building construction not the answer
Despite these positive steps, the city government and private developers like SM Prime Holdings have continued to push for the construction of parking buildings in the city center. SM Prime Holdings, one of the proponents of the Baguio City public market rehabilitation, plans to add hundreds of parking spaces with its proposed building plans. This approach is fundamentally at odds with the city’s carbon neutrality goal.
Parking buildings encourage the use of private vehicles, which directly contributes to increased carbon emissions. More cars on the road mean more traffic congestion, higher fuel consumption, and greater air pollution. Additionally, parking structures occupy valuable urban space that could be used for green areas or pedestrian-friendly zones, both of which are essential for reducing carbon emissions and improving the quality of life in Baguio.
Moreover, the construction of parking buildings itself generates a significant carbon footprint. The production of concrete, steel, and other building materials releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This environmental cost is often overlooked in discussions about urban development, but it is a critical factor in the city’s overall carbon footprint.
Addressing the city’s parking woes while promoting carbon neutrality
The city’s parking problems are undeniable, especially during peak tourist seasons when streets are clogged with vehicles. However, building more parking structures is not the solution.
Instead, Baguio City needs to adopt a holistic approach that addresses parking issues while also advancing its carbon neutrality goals.
One viable solution is to encourage tourists to use public transportation to get around the city. Baguio could improve its public transportation system by adding more jeepneys or buses (if needed), implementing efficient routes, and providing real-time updates to passengers. Additionally, promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs) for public transportation could significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Baguio can become more walkable by expanding pedestrian zones, improving sidewalks, and creating more green spaces. Encouraging walking not only reduces the need for parking but also improves public health and reduces air pollution. Baguio’s cool climate is ideal for walking, and with the right infrastructure, more people would be inclined to explore the city on foot.
Another approach that had been raised before (pre-pandemic times even) is to require hotels and other accommodation providers to ensure they have ample parking spaces for their guests. This would allow tourists to leave their vehicles at their hotels and use public transportation or taxis to explore the city. By reducing the number of vehicles on the road, this measure would help ease traffic congestion (saving everyone time) and minimize emissions and stress!
Furthermore, Baguio could invest in park-and-ride facilities on the outskirts of the city. These facilities would allow tourists and commuters to park their vehicles outside the city center and use public transportation to reach their destinations. This approach has been successful in other cities around the world (e.g., London, Munich, Copenhagen, Melbourne, and the country of Singapore) and could be an effective way to reduce traffic and emissions in Baguio.
Holistic, long-term solutions to traffic, parking woes needed
Baguio City’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 cannot be achieved if the city continues to prioritize plans to construct parking buildings in the city center.
To truly reduce Baguio’s carbon footprint, the city government must rethink its approach to urban planning and transportation.
We need to have more efficient public transportation, improve our city’s walkability, and implement innovative solutions (like park-and-ride facilities), so we can address our parking and air pollution woes once and for all, while also moving closer to our goal of carbon neutrality.
