Melvin Jones underground parking lot gets mixed views

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – An Australian developer has proposed to construct an underground parking space here below the Melvin Jones football field to address this city’s heavy traffic problem.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan bared this last week saying the city government is still determining the feasibility of the project but would forego it if studies would show it will have detrimental effects on Burnham Park and the city’s environment.

“What is being done is a feasibility study to determine the viability of the project.  If the study would show that the project will indeed destroy the aquifer and the park then we will not pursue it,” the mayor told a media briefing.

The mayor said the city received the proposal from the Australian developer to build a 2,000-vehicle parking structure consisting of an underground parking space covering the entire football field and two-storey parking edifices on both sides of the field.

It instantly drew opposition mainly through an on-line petition in a social network where petitioners said the project will destroy the ecological balance and will cause further air pollution in the area.

The petitioners also said the project is “not an important factor for the development” of the city and is contradictory to President Benigno S. Aquino III’s program for the conservation of the city as heritage site.    

The mayor said opposition to the project cannot be prevented and it is welcome being part of democratic process.

He however said the city will consider all the points being raised by the opposition in dealing with the project.

“If it will come out that it will really destroy the park and our environment, then why will we still pursue it?  But as of now, we need to also look into the feasibility of the proposal because of the city’s acute need for parking facility at present to ease the traffic problem especially during peak tourist season,” the mayor said.

The proposal is currently being reviewed by the members of the technical working group created by the mayor.

             The TWG during the second meeting on the project forwarded suggestions and concerns relative to the project particularly on the issues of environment, traffic, façade and the revenue aspect