TACLOBAN CITY: The city government here on Wednesday started building a three-story parking facility in the downtown area in a bid to reduce traffic congestion in the regional capital. The city government announced that the first phase of the new multi-level parking area along the city's Quezon Boulevard has officially started and will be completed in four months. According to Philippines News Agency, the first phase, with a budget of PHP15 million, will involve the construction of 10 structural posts at the city pier. It will rise above the sea within the city's port. "We are building foundations since we were not permitted to reclaim the area," said Dionisio De Paz, head of the city engineering office, in an interview with reporters. Actual parking space will be built in the next few years with the limited budget of the local government. "The city government pushed for the construction of this facility since streets in the city cannot be expanded and cannot be used as parking spaces," De Paz added. Once finished, the paid parking area behind the first McDonald's branch in the city will accommodate around 200 standard-sized vehicles, addressing the growing demand for parking spaces in the city. Target to be accommodated are cars parked in the city's downtown, particularly Justice Romualdez St., Rizal Avenue, and Quezon Boulevard. The parking facility has a width of 40 meters and a length of 81 meters. The ground floor will be a terminal for passengers of motorboats bound for Samar areas. Tacloban is a highly urbanized city in the Eastern Visayas region with a population of 251,881, making it the most populous city in the region.