Baguio to demolish Busol,Irisan squatter buildings

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO – The city will step up its anti-squatting drive by demolishing illegal structures at here Busol watershed, Barangay Irisan and structures that encroached on the road-right-of-way of road networks this year.
    Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said concerned offices of the local government will be closely working with the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources for dismantling of illegal structures within the Busol watershed, the main source of the city’s potable water supply, as it was observed that owners of the same took advantage of the implementation of the various levels of community quarantine to illegally widen their encroachments.
     He said the city government will demolish illegal structures within the premier watershed to send a clear message to the people intending to erect similar structures in prohibited areas.
    The local chief executive added areas in Irisan had been squatted upon by professional squatters.    
    He said the city will also dismantle illegal structures with the assistance of concerned government agencies to prevent increase in the number of illegal constructions in said areas.
    The city government will also intensify its ongoing anti-road obstruction campaign pursuant to orders from the national government so  encroachments on the road-rights-of-way will be removed.
    He said individuals took advantage of implementation of quarantine to further encroach in the city’s watersheds and protected areas, thus, the need to enforce the law by demolishing their illegal structures.
     He urged individuals wanting to own properties in the city to first validate with the concerned offices of the local government and other related government agencies the authenticity of the documents of the properties being sold to them to ascertain their legitimacy to avoid losing their hard-earned money to people who want to dispose of controversial properties in the city.
    Last year, the city government aggressively implemented the government’s anti-road obstruction campaign that caused the removal of illegal structures along major highways such as Marcos Highway, Kennon Road and Naguilian Road but the same was sidelined by the implementation of the various levels of community quarantine over the past 9 months.
    The said campaign resumed Nov. 16, 2020 upon orders of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Anyo through a circular that was given to all local governments nationwide.