Ban of buildings in Baguio danger zones gets SP okay

1 dead, 2 hurt as riprap collapses, buries house 

By Gaby Keith

BAGUIO CITY – The city council passed on first reading a proposed ordinance prohibiting construction of residential, institutional, educational or any vertical structure within identified danger zones or high risk areas in this summer capital.

This, while a woman died when the riprap of a construction site collapsed and buried her house below here  Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. 

Police said the house was owned by Virginia Faustino De Jesus, 67, widow, located at Purok 8, Barangay Kias.

Jemma T. Mendoza reportedly died at the scene.

Her son Nathaniel, 1, and niece Lenary De Jesus, 11, were injured and taken to the Baguio City General Hospital and Medical Center by rescuers.

Authorities said the riprap eroded due to heavy rains since Tuesday.

Authored by councilor Leandro Yangot, Jr., the measure points out that one of the city’s critical problems is unabated squatting.

“Migrants continue to enter every available space, legally or otherwise, even areas that are declared as danger zones thereby putting their safety and security at risk,” it claims.

The ordinance “seeks to ensure the maintenance of peace and order, protection of life and property by prohibiting people from occupying areas declared as danger zones or in geographical areas where the probability of damage, injury, loss or other undesirable outcome is at its highest.”

The measure makes it unlawful for any person, establishment, firm or entity to construct a residential, institutional, educational, or any vertical structure within identified danger zones or high risk areas in the city.

Any person, natural or juridical, found to have violated the proposed ordinance shall be meted with a standard fine of P5,000 including the structure’s summary demolition.