A recent furlough to Baguio City recently has brought me and my companions more stress rather than relaxation due to unbearable traffic congestion and overcrowding of places to visit. The cool breeze of the city likewise seemed to be affected by these.
The city of pines has been one of my favorite destinations since my younger years. Foremost, one can typically enjoy the place’ cold weather and the beautiful sceneries that are relaxing. Before, there were lots of pine trees even in the city proper. Their scent complements the natural smell of the air.
There are many places to visit in Baguio mostly inspired by nature such as the mountains, trees, flowers and others. There are a thousand shops which up to now, market local products mostly can found only in the Cordilleras. These shops sell souvenir items, clothing, food and delicacies and many others.
In Camp John Hay, one can relax at the place, the scenery and the cold air enveloping the former US military camp. The Philippine Military Academy is another place of interest because of its facilities and war memorabilia. The PMA is the country’s top producer of military generals.
The Baguio Public Market is a must-visit place for pasalubongs since they offer the best price of many things as compared to shops and roadside stalls. The market is also the product hub within the city, thus offering the cheaper prices of goods.
Over the years, Baguio City keeps on attracting local and foreign tourists. This fact makes the city a magnet for vehicles which would add up to the already bloated local vehicle population of Baguio City. The number of vehicles plying the roads and streets of the city keeps on growing but the number of the latter is still the same, thus resulting in traffic congestion.
Even prior to the holiday season, the city's congestion of people as well as vehicles is already a serious concern. During the holidays, vehicular traffic remains at a standstill. The city was at par with Metro Manila’s EDSA which was dubbed before as the biggest parking place in the world.
When Baguio City was developed in the early 1900’s, urban planning was never a subject yet among developers. What was once a vacation place with the number of visitors peaking only during summer, Baguio City’s population (residents and transients), swells all year round now.
Recently, the city government of Baguio has announced that it shall be resorting to Artificial Intelligence (AI) for its traffic and parking management. This perhaps is the solution to the growing problem of over congestion and traffic gridlocks.
Through AI, traffic managers can easily come up with solutions to traffic problems with the aid of modern technology. The AI can now manage where to put vehicles and even humans as well to avoid congestions. While we cannot extend the land area of the city, we might perhaps regulate vehicles instead.
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