Opposition Baguio casino will be respected: Vergara

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The vehement opposition of majority of local residents to the establishment of a casino in this mountain resort city will be respected and upheld by future leaders of the city government.

This was reiterated by former Rep. and Mayor Bernardo M. Vergara, who reminded the people that he joins the people in opposing the establishment of a casino because of its effects on the locality.

While casino is a major component of tourism since it facilitates the influx of more spending foreign and domestic tourists to the city, Vergara said the people of the city are now tired of the effects of gambling.

Worst, he said, the presence of casino in the city brings bad luck just like what happened to the Pines Hotel and the Hyatt Terraces hotel, two five-star hotels that were allowed to operate casinos.

After the Pines Hotel was burned, the July 16, 1990 killer earthquake educed to rubble the Hyatt Terraces hotel, thus, the establishment of a third casino might affect the gains of the city in terms of achieving development.

During his term as the city’s local chief executive from 2001-2003, Vergara cancelled the business permit issued by the previous officer-in-charge of the city to Royal Highlands, a gambling and Amusement Corp., which proposed to operate a regulated casino within Camp John Hay with the condition that only tourists will be allowed to play inside the amusement center.

However, Vergara said he could not accept the alleged railroading of the resolution approved by the previous council granting the business permit to the purported casino operator, citing majority of local residents have already voiced out their opposition to gambling, thus, the same must be respected and upheld to prevent chaos in the city.

The local tourism industry in the city is supportive of the establishment of a regulated casino in Camp John Hay but the vigilance of the people against the same is keeping them away from realizing the said proposal.

Vergara, who is seeking the city’s congressional post in the upcoming May 2010 synchronized and automated elections, said the will of the people should be the one to be followed by local officials and it should not be the case that the officials will dictate on the people whom they got their authority to be part of the national and local governments.

Since he was the congressman and mayor of the city, he asserted programs and projects are always implemented in accordance with the will of the people who know best their needs as residents of the city and that their duty as local officials is to work out the desired funding for the project as well as the proper implementation of all programs for the general welfare.