Mayor appeals anew for release of dumpsite fund

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan appealed anew to Malacanang for the immediate release of the P80 million for the rehabilitation of the collapsed Irisan dumpsite retaining wall.

            The mayor said he took advantage of the presence of Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo during the dialogue conducted by the DILG on the SM Baguio tree removal issue last week to follow up the city’s request.

            The mayor said the city hopes to receive the fund as soon as possible to implement the rehabilitation work before the onset of the rainy season to avoid further untoward incident in the area.

            The mayor said President Benigno S. Aquino III has issued a memorandum to declare Baguio City along with Boracay as national asset and historical heritage sites and the city can use this to justify the release of said fund.

            “We hope that with the President’s good intention for our city, Malacanang will see the urgency and the necessity of releasing the fund to help us rehabilitate the dumpsite,” the mayor said.

            The mayor earlier admitted being apprehensive that the fund will not make it in time before the typhoon season because then the situation at the dumpsite could worsen.

            “I really hope that the release of this fund will not drag on knowing the situation at the dumpsite which still poses risk especially if the retaining wall will not be repaired before the rainy season,” he said.

            The retaining wall collapsed at the height of a typhoon in August last year causing a trash slide that killed five persons and buried houses along Asin Road.

            The P80 million will be used to build a superstructure envisioned to withstand strong typhoons and heavy rains to stabilize the dump facility preparatory to its conversion into a nature park.

            The city earlier requested P100 million for the project but this was reduced to P80 million upon review of the program of work by the Dept. of Public Works and Highways.