Law on use of public infra, business in parks violated

 

By Gaby B. Keith

 

BAGUIO CITY – Implementation of city ordinance 67, series of 2008, that prohibits and makes it unlawful for any person, individual, or group to obstruct, cover or use any portion of public infrastructures in parks and providing penalties, was found not to have been fully implemented.

This was stated in a status report, Dec. 12, 2024, on the legislative monitoring and evaluation of the said measure conducted by Nechel Ocasion, local legislative staff assistant 3, of the City Council and submitted to Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan.

The status report’s conclusion was based on information and reports submitted by the General Services Office (GSO), City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) and all the city’s punong barangays.

It urged the City Council to consider recommendations of concerned offices like including as one provision in the ordinance office responsible implementation of its provisions; include in the list of prohibited acts:  setting up of illegal booths, stalls, and extensions on allocated areas of concessionaires, use of areas and portions of city parks for prohibited activities such as henna tattooing, nail cleaning, placarding, selling phone loads, and other activities.

Penalties will increased and concessionaires shall voluntarily remove illegal structures and extensions while in the case of involuntary removal, the CEPMO, Public Order and Safety Division (POSD), and the CBAO Demolition Team shall be authorized to remove these.

Other recommended actions were strict enforcement of the ordinance, public awareness campaigns, involvement of barangay officials and volunteers, implementing a park management system, incentivizing corporate or group sponsorship for park maintenance, establishing clear boundaries for commercial use, community education and awareness, enhanced monitoring and penalties.