The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) is coordinating with public and private schools for the use of their parking spaces.

Lt. Col. Zacarias Dausen, chief of the BCPO Traffic Enforcement Unit, said in a media briefing Wednesday that if the schools will allow them, about 600 parking slots will help get vehicles off public roads.

“We have an inventory of 2,537 available parking slots that includes roadside parking and the popular parking at the central business district,” Dausen said. “

We are preparing for a possible influx of tourists, which we have seen to be constant in the past weeks, especially when the city opened several attractions,” he added.

The city tourism office said about 80,000 tourists have been visiting Baguio during weekends since November.

Other BCPO measures to alleviate the traffic situation are information desks in major entry points to the city; “bakasyon” (vacation) lanes leading to diversion roads to avoid being caught in gridlocks traffic inside the central business district; and leaflets, maps, and list of eating establishments to be distributed to visitors.

Social media advisories will also be enhanced to inform the public in real-time about traffic and road conditions, while anti-road obstruction teams in barangays will be activated to prevent illegal parking, especially in the central business district. (PNA)