BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 23) — Baguio City councilors said that the development of the area between Baguio Convention Center and the Court of Appeals will not be abandoned.

STOP CUTTING TREES. Government calls to preserve forestry in Baguio City. Claudine Mariano/NORDIS

According to Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, the plan is to develop the said area into a park and conserve the pine trees. This development project of the tree-planted area is a response to the proposed resolution of Councilor Richard Cariño, which is “opposing any plan to cut trees or construct a building by SM properties or any other persons over the lot situated between the Baguio Convention Center and Court of Appeals Building.”

There is a P2 million budget allocated for the Convention Center Grounds, but there is a question if the city has the right to stop any building construction in the site, said Balajadia, and resolving the issue will take time. Because of this, the plan to develop the area is yet to be discussed. Councilor Nicasio Palaganas suggested to look for other source of funding in order not to give up the project.

For now, the area is still a property of GSIS. Vice-mayor Daniel Fariñas said that limitations should be imposed on the use of the GSIS properties, especially that other development projects and building constructions are being planned even in John Hay. Fariñas also said that they still have to check on the legalities of the matter. The city government assured that they also want to preserve the forestry and that they share the same sentiments and protests of environmentalists to stop cutting trees. # Claudine D. Mariano for NORDIS