Sagada folks push use of P1.9M CHARMP fund for parking lots
>> Wednesday, August 13, 2014
By Gina
Dizon
SAGADA Mounain Province -- Folks here in this
tourist town want the P1.93 million committed for a diversion road from
barangays Patay, Poblacion to Dagdag reprogrammed for constructing parking lots
instead.
The proposed road
within the Mission Compound is part of the private property owned by the
Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines and administered by the Church of St
Mary the Virgin.
In a petition
forwarded to the Cordillera Highland
Agricultural Resource Management
Project (CHARMP) and to the
Sagada local government, parishioners of the Church of St Mary the Virgin of
the Episcopal Church in the Philippines
(ECP) and residents of Dagdag and PoblacionPatay opposed the diversion road project of
the municipal local government unit here
designed to traverse Patay, Poblacion to
Dagdag; and asked for reprogramming of
the P1.93 million for the establishment of parking lots instead.
Allotted by an
agricultural institution, CHARMP’s 1.9
million peso allotment intends to
respond to traffic congestion along the main road of the town from
Poblacion Patay, Dagdag to Ambasing especially during tourist peak seasons on
Christmas, Lent, All Saints Day, Etag Festival, weekends and other major events
and celebrations.
A resident noted that
parking lots could also qualify for a CHARMP fund and that parking lots could be also serve as drying
pavement for agricultural products.
A suggestion forwarded during the
August 1 public consultation said parking lots be constructed instead
with realignment of the P1.93
CHARMP funds be reprogrammed for
establishment of parking spaces. Two
parking lots were identified at Ken Gedeng, Patay and Tangeb, Dagdag.
The call for the construction of parking lots was strongly voiced out in a public consultation
called for this purpose initiated by the local government unit here August 1 following the letter of
winning bidder Benguet Builders
Engr Isabelo Abing that he will start construction May this year.
The public noted said
project was bidded out by Sagada LGU December 2013 despite the absence of a memorandum of agreement between
the local government unit of Sagada and the EDNP-CSMV.
Sagada mayor Eduardo
Latawan said he was advised by the Department of Agriculture that bidding can
proceed without complete documents.
Residents here noted
how such project could proceed where there was no consent secured from the lot
owner and with probability that consent
shall not be given.
Episcopal Church Women
(ECW) president and former CSMV vestry
member Jane Bawing noted that a
pending master development plan of the Mission compound awaits formulation and
invited the public to forward their suggestions.
A recent meeting of the ECW noted that the Holy Week experience drew out lessons
on improving traffic systems including
loading and unloading time provided for, putting up of road signs, and
deployment of traffic aides.
Opposition to the
opening of the diversion road noted was during the June 1 congregational assembly
considering enticement of probable squatting due to commercial
opportunities, strong threat of a
destroyed eco-park of the Mission
compound, and anticipated indiscriminate
waste disposal along the proposed diversion road.
Parking lots answered
the problem of traffic congestion
during the 2014 Holy Week with the identification of parking lots where cars of tourists and residents were directed to leave the main
road a no-parking site.
The CSMV vestry in
their decision disapproved implementation of
the proposed road following
results of said congregational
assembly.
0 comments:
Post a Comment