Magalong eyes parking, building rules in Baguio

 By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin b. Magalong urged enactment of ordinances to improve the existing regulations governing construction of buildings, especially in terms of parking allocations and water treatment and rain catchment facilities, to address some pressing problems of the city on traffic and water supply.

 He said by doing so, the number of motor vehicles parked on the sides of the roads will be minimized thus reducing obstructing traffic along roads and streets in the city, a major causes of tremendous traffic jams.

The incoming local chief executive said from the prevailing 50 percent parking requirement of buildings, the same must be increased to at least 70 percent through the enactment of an ordinance for the said purpose with reference to the provisions of the National Building Code or Presidential Decree 1096.

He urged the local legislative body to include as requirement in the put up of buildings the construction of their own sewerage treatment plants (STPs) or waste water treatment plants and a rain catchment basin within the structure to gather rain water which could be used by the structure for various purposes.

Magalong said by requiring building owners to have their own sewerage treatment plant and rain catchment basin, building owners will not be competing with residents in the use of the city’s limited water supply aside from helping remove the tremendous load from the city’s sewerage treatment plant.

According to him, in Steel Asia where he came from prior to being elected as the city mayor, the construction of a sewerage treatment plant and a rain catchment basin forms part of the structures that the company puts up to help address water sources and treatment of waste water.

He said the proposed moratorium on the construction of buildings in the city needs to undergo a serious study aside from the need to consult the different stakeholders to guide decision makers on what to do with the said proposal.

The retired police official stated that he was not able to discuss the proposed moratorium on the constructions of buildings in the city with President Rodrigo Duterte considering that there were other issues that were tackled in the limited time that was given them to talk together.

He said part of development issues in the city is also being discussed with environmental engineers on what approach the city government will take to address the same aside from the local legislations need to be passed to mitigate the prevailing problems of the city in terms of the state of its environment.

He cited numerous experts available who expressed their willingness to help address the problems of the city but the same should be discussed and analyzed so appropriate recommendations of the pool of experts will be the ones that will be implemented to realize the overall objective of rehabilitating Baguio as one of the premier tourist destinations in the country.