1 week ago
5
BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Benjamin Magalong sought the review and amendment of the Summer Capital's speed limit ordinance to adjust restrictions and adopt what is appropriate to a given area.
"We have to be discerning regarding our speed limits. We need to amend our ordinance as there are speed limits that are not advisable," the mayor told the city's traffic and transportation team.
Magalong said actual experience negated the suitability of the speed limits provided under Ordinance 18, Series of 2019, or the Speed Limit Ordinance of Baguio City.
"We tried running at 30 kilometers per hour (kph) along South Drive, and it is not advisable. It should be around 40 kph. Same is true with Loakan Road, Kennon Road and Marcos Highway," Magalong said.
"We need to look at other roads where the 20-30 kph limit is also not appropriate," he added.
Get the latest news
delivered to your inbox
Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters
By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The Traffic and Transportation Management Division of the City Engineering Office (CEO), Traffic Enforcement Unit of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the City Legal Office will work on drafting the proposed amendment for submission to the city council.
The strict imposition of the speed limit ordinance was one of the measures adopted to curb the increase in vehicular traffic incidents in the city.
The road accidents, the ordinance said, were primarily attributed to human error.
As stipulated in Ordinance 18-2019, a maximum speed of 20 kph is strictly imposed within the central business district and other major roads. A maximum speed of 30 kph applies to all inner roads.
To ensure the effectiveness of this ordinance, the city planned to procure speed monitoring devices, including speed guns and radar sensors, to enhance the regulation and detection of vehicle speeds throughout the city.
BCPO director Col. Ruel Tagel said a breath analyzer has been procured and is now being used for field-testing. Additional breath analyzers will be purchased in the coming days to help curb drunken driving in the city.
Procurement of speed guns is also under way with considerations for quality and cost-effectiveness.
The CEO also installed signages along roads including Bokawkan, Magsaysay, Loakan and Legarda as part of the implementation of the ordinance in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In addition, "Slow Down" signs have been placed near schools as the school year 2025–2026 opened last Monday.
