City barangay roads audit / Convention Center defects

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Barangays will be asked to audit their roads where parking had been allowed as basis for validating whether said streets are viable as parking or merely causing traffic obstructions.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong tasked the City Engineering Office Traffic and Transport Management Division under engineer Richard Lardizabal to check on the barangay roads covered by barangay parking ordinances approved by the city council to determine whether they are suitable as parking zones.

The mayor said the city will continue to allow the designation of appropriate roads for parking particularly those covered by barangay ordinances only if it will not result to impeding the flow of traffic.

“Either one-way or two-way road, we will not stop the implementation of the parking ordinances as long as it will not obstruct the traffic flow on said roads,” the mayor said.  

One practice that will be stopped will be the assigning of the parking spaces to particular persons as residents should be accorded equal chances over these slots.

City Accountant Antonio Tabin agreed that the city should be the one to recommend which roads are suitable for parking based on the measurements of the roads.

He said allowing parking based on barangay ordinances alone without considering the viability of the roads will defeat the purpose of the anti-road obstruction law and the widening projects.

The city council also resolved to thresh out the contradicting provisions of two ordinances of the city that deal on parking and anti-road obstruction. 

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The city government is planning a “punch list” of the Baguio Convention Center rehabilitation works to determine and correct possible defects and deficiencies in the construction before the actual completion of the project.

 Mayor Benjamin Magalong agreed to the suggestion of City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Peña and City Building and Architecture Office Asst. Head Johnny Degay to validate the integrity and workmanship of the structure in view of the glaring flaws the mayor noticed when the city used the facility for the Baguio Day celebration last September.

He said the city has to do the punch list while it is possible to conduct a thorough check-up of the jobs done and the materials installed instead of doing it after the project’s completion which would entail the dismantling of the installations. 

Dela Pena said he will arrange a meeting with project implementer Dept. of Public Works and Highways Cordillera Regional Director Tiburcio Canlas for the contractor to accommodate the validation activities.

The mayor admitted having reached a decision not to accept the project because of the poor workmanship of the structure as evidenced by the defective ceiling and warped flooring they observed during the Baguio Day event.

They also noted the inferior quality of the chairs installed but Dela Peña said this was what was indicated in the project specifications.

The mayor said that with its current workmanship, the facility’s safety is suspect and accepting the project would put the city government in a compromising situation.

The project worth P169 million was started in March 2018 and is projected for completion in February 2020.

DPWH-CAR officials and the contractor had earlier assured compliance to the plans and specifications approved for the project. 

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Baguio will mark the Climate Consciousness Week with meaningful activities slated on the first week of December.

The city council declared Nov. 19-25 of every year as Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week in Resolution No. 357 series of 2019.

The activities will be spearheaded by the Climate Consciousness and Action Group (CCAG)said to be composed of “environment advocates, consisting of individuals and institutions from the religious sector, the academe, barangays , parishes and civil society organizations from the various sectors in the city who have taken up the exigent challenge to act on averting/minimizing the imminent impacts of global climate change.”

CCAG Co-Convenor Maria Victoria Bautista said their aim is to “create awareness and open opportunities for sustained collective action to combat climate change.”

For the celebration, the group collaborated with the Department of Education, Teachers’ Camp, Baguio-Benguet Birders and the Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines to spearhead three major events, all to be held at the Roxas Hall AVR Teachers’ Camp.

The “Bird and Climate Change: Reconnecting with Nature” slated on Dec. 2-3 at will be a gathering of bird lovers, biodiversity and climate action advocates.

It will feature lectures on Climate Change, Biodiversity, Bird Photography and IP Bird View, a bird watching experience on Dec. 3 and a Bird Photo Exhibit from Dec. 3-7 to showcase the works of the birders groups at the Executive Cottage at Teachers’ Camp.

On Dec. 5-6, a forum on Climate Crisis: Faith and Perspectives—Reflecting on an Existential, Moral and Theological Issue will be held with lectures and discussions among faith representatives discussing the escalating climate crisis and their role as stewards of creation.

A discussion of the philosophy, legal framework and practical side of the Rights of Nature Bill entitled, “Rights of Nature: ON the Sacredness of All Life Forms” is set on Dec. 7.

For inquiries, email at Climateaction forum2018.mes@gmailcom or text/call (63)9303515321/(63)9367265536.