BAGUIO CITY — The city council Monday demanded the suspension of the bidding and implementation of the cadastral survey project that sought to straighten out conflicting land claims in the city and establish city boundary.

A project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Cordillera (DENR-CAR), the said land survey was opposed by the councilors due to some concerns raised.

In a resolution, city councilors frowned at the lack of consultation and participation of the city government in the said project which they said is very crucial to the city.

As this developed the councilors also agreed to invite the DENR DENR-CAR executives to clarify issues on the project.

Charter change needed

“The city is a town site reservation and a cadastral survey could not be possible in a TSR area like the city,” Councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr. told the press shortly after last week’s session. He added it may necessitate a charter change if the cadastral survey was to push through.

The resolution was jointly authored by Vice-mayor Daniel Farinas and Councilors Cosalan Jr., Rocky Thomas Balisong, Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Galo Weygan, Perlita Rondez, Nicasio Aliping Jr., Antonio Tabora Jr., Erdolfo Balajadia, Nicasio Palaganas, Richard Carino, Fred Bagbagen, Elaine Sembrano, Joel Alangsab and Gloria Ysabel De Vera.

It was gathered that the DENR-CAR embarked on a Cadastral Survey for the City of Baguio, the first phase of which was implemented in 2007 with Barangay Brookside as the pilot area.

The bidding process for the said project is scheduled to start Monday until December 2008.

“In a letter dated 08 March 2008 of Regional Executive Director Samuel R. Peñafiel of the the DENR-CAR to then Councilor Faustino A. Olowan, preliminary activities were already undertaken in relation to the said Cadastral Survey for Baguio City, including among others, the establishment of PRS 92 Stations in the City of Baguio,” the body noted in the resolution.

Funding squabble

“In the presentation of the DENR-CAR, an amount of P2 million was initially earmarked for the Modular Cadastre of Brookside Barangay that sounght to establish the main and subsidiary controls for the entire city, and political boundary survey and lot survey for Brookside.”

For the remaining 127 barangays, however, the budget for the lot survey is reportedly a measly P10 million or P78,740.157 per barangay or P300 per lot, which is way below what had been allotted for Brookside Barangay, according to the councilors.

They also cited Resolution No. 04, series of 2008 of the Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines, Inc.-Cordillera, where the private sector called for the suspension of the survey

Similarly, the group pf geodetic engineers wanted to know if a Cadastral Survey within a Townsite Reservation is allowed under the city’s 1906 charter.

While they also question the lack of participation of city officials in planning the Cadastral Survey, the engineers asked that they be given priority on the bidding. # Lyn V. Ramo and Aileen P. Refuerzo/PIO-Baguio City