Stink along Baguio main streets turns off tourists

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The odorous stink emanating from this city’s sewer lines along roads at the central business district here, according to tourists and residents, is turning them off. 

“Strong obnoxious odor is perennially steaming out from the drainage in the CBD particularly along the stretch of Magsaysay Avenue,” said councilor Fred Bagbagen.

He said this poses hazard to health and must be addressed at once through an extensive inspection of the drainage system so that the city will determine the condition of the drainage facilities and institute remedial measures.  

Noting complaints, Mayor Mauricio Domogan last week formed a team to inspect the drainage and sewerage networks of the city to determination the condition of the facilities. 

The mayor tasked city environment and parks management officer Cordelia Lacsamana as chairman of the team with the city council committee on health and sanitation head councilor Bagbagen as action officer.

Designated members were city engineer Leo Bernardez, Baguio City Engineering District head Alexander Castaneda, Association of Barangay Council Federation president Councilor Michael Lawana, city legal officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes and the city building official.

The move was pursuant to Resolution No. 58 series of 2015 of the city council which was approved by the body after conferring with concerned agencies.

The mayor acknowledged the need for such inspection in view of the numerous reports being received by his office on “obnoxious odor coming from drainage systems within the city’s central business district area that cause irritation and inconvenience to the local residents and visitors.”

“There is a need to create the said inspection team to identify the possible causes of the foul odor emanating from the drainage systems and to recommend the necessary steps to be undertaken to solve the problem,” the mayor noted in his administrative order.

He gave the team 60 days to submit its report and recommendations to the city council for the passage of appropriate legislations to solve the problems emanating from the facilities.