Baguio closure physically impossible, says councilor

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The chairperson of the city council committee on lands, urban planning and housing said the supposed closure of Baguio City similar to what has been done in Boracay island being continuously floated in the social media is physically impossible because of its present status as a landlocked area aside, from serving as a gateway to other areas in the different parts of Northern Luzon.

            Councilor Edgar M. Avila, chairperson of the committee said what is applicable in the city is partial rehabilitation of the areas that have been identified to have serious violation of environmental laws which have a serious implication to the city’s state of environment.

            “We are trying to balance the ecology and the environment with the development that is pouring in the city and we actually do not need the city to be closed just for us to strictly adhere to existing environmental laws, rules and regulations because everything is being done to address the city’s problems due to migration and urbanization,” Councilor Avila said.

            The local legislator explained the situation in Baguio City is totally different from the situation in Boracay and Palawan as the said areas are islands that could be easily isolated and closed compared to the landlocked state of the city which has various exits and entrances.

            According to him, the local government already recognized the various problems caused by migration and rapid urbanization and actually been given appropriate attention by concerned government agencies and local officials working together to improve the situation of the city’s environment, its natural asset that entices foreign and domestic visitors.

            Earlier, ranking officials of the environment department who have frequented the city over the past several months recognized the difficulty of totally closing Baguio City from tourists because of the numerous road networks that serve as exit and entry points inside and outside the city, thus, the need to compel all identified violators to institute measures necessary to reduce the impact of their establishments to the city’s environment.

            Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan asserted the local government was never remiss in responding to the identified environmental issues due to the continuous influx of people to the city and the proposed closure of the city will be difficult to do in case the tourism department will be push through with its plans to close the city.

            He assured residents, businessmen and tourists patronizing the city as a weekend destination that Baguio city will never be closed but there will be measures undertaken by the concerned government agencies and the local government to improve the current state of development in the city,  as well as the environment, traffic, garbage disposal, among others.

            He claimed the local government is always cooperative with the policies, programs and projects of concerned government agencies in the city but steps must be done to ensure that the said activities conform with the context in a mountain resort city.