SAGADA Mayor James Pooten is encouraging walking while in this town.
In an executive order issued a day after Christmas, Pooten has set into place moves to address traffic congestion in the tourist town.
Pooten said with the limited road networks coupled with the huge volume of road users during peak season, tourist are highly advised to park their own vehicles in designated areas and walk to the different tour sites or take local public transport so as not to compromise the free flow of traffic.
The executive order, “strictly implements specific provisions of municipal ordinance 04-2016, otherwise known as the transportation and traffic ordinance of the municipality of Sagada, addresses road obstruction, traffic and role of police to apprehend and confiscate licenses in a bid to ease congestion in the town during the peak of tourist season.
Pooten, in the order said, the municipal ordinance enumerates various acts of obstruction that are subject to penalties which include, leaving a vehicle on standby on any part of the road for more than 10 minutes under the guise of waiting for or unloading passengers, leaving a vehicle in any portion of the road or any other similar acts which hamper the flow of traffic.
The chief executive also said members of the Sagada police as well as traffic enforcers are authorized to confiscate driver’s license, vehicle registration, or vehicle plate for violation of traffic rules and regulations mandated by the ordinance.
Item confiscated will be returned upon payment of the P500 fine for road obstruction.
Weeks ago, the Sagada government has set new rules for tourists taking control of tourism because closure of the town to tourists is not an option.
The new rules mandate tours in and around Sagada must only be run by the local guides' organizations: SEGA, SAGGAS,SETGO, KIGA, ASSETG and BFTAMPGA for Northern Sagada, travel agencies, groups, and individuals must register for the tours at the Tourist Information Office.
The new rules indicate a limited number of tourists allowed per site per day with all tours requiring a tour guide banning entry to those without a registered companion.
Only local transport will be allowed to ferry tours to tourist sites so as not to create traffic in tourist destinations mandating all tourist vehicles are required to park their vehicles all throughout the duration of their stay in their hotel parking area or in pay parking areas and avail of the local transport to visit the different sites.
On accommodations, only registered and DOT-accredited hostels/inns/homestays under the Sagada Inns and Hotels Association (SIHA) will be allowed to operate for tourist accommodations.
Visitors are also advised to follow standard prices for accommodation in Sagada, sans haggling and the request for free beds.
All visitors are advised to bring refillable water tumblers. Disposable water bottles are not allowed as well as throwing of waste at designated disposal areas.