‘BLISTTing’ the basura

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

The BLIST acronym for “Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba” was a derivative from a previous concept of an urban plan that Baguio “thinkers” resorted to after Benguet officials expressed doubts about their city counterparts who initially talked about a “Metro-Baguio.” I still can freshly recall the facial expression of a city official who gave his instant reply saying, “okay then, let’s not call it Metro-Baguio” when that opposition was raised in the Benguet provincial board in the 90s. The BLIST concept was revisited a few years ago, adding another letter “T” to the acronym which stood for “Tublay.” They say “all is well that ends well.” And so with the BLISTT concept, it should work well if the intentions of the proponents are pure.

It was also in the 90s when the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle of President Ramos took off. But there was a lot of difference between the two designs. The NWLGQ simply identified possible growth areas out of the existing map of central business hubs from La Union to Ilocos Norte and the Cordillera region (Northwestern Luzon) where infrastructure development such as diversion roads and airports would be built. It consisted of a plan to smoothen flow of trade and level the income opportunities of the LGUs without necessarily bothering them with conditions or problems that may arise as a result of the projects to be infused.

On the other hand, the planners of “Metro-Baguio” thought of the concept as a solution to the city’s uncontrolled increase in population that carried with it problems on squatting and housing, lack of water supply, unstoppable increase in garbage, and the worsening traffic. The “Metro-Baguio” concept was also seen as a solution to the city’s overdevelopment characterized by too much concrete infrastructure. This was so because of the mindset of one politician who has said over and over that notorious line, “aramid tipakakitaan.” When I heard him say that, I thought he must have calculatedly missed the letter “G.” He should have said: “aramid tipagkakitaan.”

Squatting and housing were problems in the city that have been known to elected politicians, but were the least of the problems that were included in their election campaign menu that needed solutions. In fact, squatting has become a fundamental part of a  candidate’s strategy to winning an election. The more you court squatters, the more chances of winning. Added to that, the politically tainted processing of Townsite Sale Applications for public lands, as if there are still public lands, has not helped solve any of these problems but has complicated them.

In-migration and squatting contributed to population explosion in the city which relatively gave rise to the problem on lack of water supply. There was a time in the 70s when water to every kitchen was not rationed and water flowed out of every house’s tap 24/7. That makes one conclude that there was enough water supply for Baguio residents. But just like water that flowed, illegal occupants to all kinds of lands in the city were unstoppable too. Naturally, a water supply that is enough for a certain population is no longer enough when the number of water users increases. A glassful of water for one is not enough for two.

Lack of water supply has been unjustly and selectively blamed on ancestral land owners of forested areas too. This, even while city officials worked out plans to segregate portions of forest parks for the benefit of illegal settlers. In addition, lack of water has not been faulted to the issuance of hundreds of tree-cutting permits for thousands of trees that have lowered the level of underground water. The truth is that in Baguio, a selected bunch of officials favor and allows the cutting of trees to put up housing subdivisions, access roads, parking lots and private commercial buildings.

Traffic problem has worsened because those concerned do not want to seriously face it. They know that this is not a problem that directly affects them or the man on the street. True, if you don’t drive, the traffic mess is the least of your worries. If I am not rushing, I leave the car and walk leisurely to town, or ride a taxi and let the driver worry about the traffic. Maybe, it is good to have a carless day in Baguio and let every car owner park somewhere on the outskirts. I wish to see everyone walking one of these days, including the mayor.

Sometimes I also think like some officials. I close all the road intersections and leave no breathing sections for motorists in a traffic jam to maneuver. I close road intersections and do not care about what the riding public says as long as all motor vehicles pass by my favorite mall. I remember well, this scheme was done on Naguillan road so that all motorists would pass by Cooyeesan that was then losing business. The result was a bumper to bumper traffic that became a real nightmare for whoever concocted the plan. That is the same plan our traffic managers are implementing now, so that we will all be directed to that monster on the hill. Remove all the intersection barricades and I assure you 101 per cent that we will have a free road with less traffic.

Another problem brought about by an increasing population is an equally increasing volume of garbage. We have heard how the garbage problem became the topic between opposing candidates in the last election. We have heard how a politician said he can solve the problem on basura and we have seen what he did when the basura spilled over to the other side of the city’s boundary in Tuba, killing at least six, destroying houses and burial grounds. Despite all the tragedy, concerned officials act like nothing serious happened. Napuskolunayrupadan.   

            

Lately, Mayor Mauricio Domogan of Baguio and Mayors Greg Abalos, Oscar Camantiles, Arthur Baldo, FlorBentres, and Ruben Paoad of La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay, respectively, signed a document creating the BLISTT Development Council. I am confident that while the Benguet chief executives want to fast-track development in their municipalities, they know which kind of development should be entertained. I have known them before they became mayors. I know them as young and determined chief executives who would not allow squatters to enter their lands through the BLISTT program. I know that they would find out and eventually oppose any plan to centralize water supply under BLISTT because there is not enough water supply in the city. By the way, the water aquifer of the Busol forest is located inside La Trinidad, not inside Baguio, as many of us have been misinformed all the while. I am convinced that the Benguet mayors would put up a fight if BLISTT meant sharing Baguio’s development, including thebasura. – marchfianza777@yahoo.com