BAGUIO CITY – – The Baguio Regreening Movement(BRM) calls for stronger public and private partnership for the continuing protection and preservation of the Busol Watershed, the city’s main watershed .
BRM Chairperson Erdolfo Balajadia made the call during a kapihan media forum Thursday, where it was tackled that even as fencing of the Busol watershed is already on-going, illegal structures and settlers within the forest reservation have yet to be removed in spite of a Supreme Court order.
“I urge the people to cooperate with us; we are trying to protect the environment. Because in the first place para sa atin ‘to – ikaw, ako, at sa inyo,”
Balajadia also called on the City Council to push for the enactment of the Environment Code for the city.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Assistant Regional Director Augusto Lagon, informed that P11 million funds is available for on-going fencing of the Busol watershed. This is part of the P16 M DENR Secretary Ramon Paje committed for the protection of the Busol watershed when he visited Baguio last year. The remaining P5M will be allotted for re-greening projects for Busol, he said.
Baguio Water District General Manager Salvador Royeca also reported that more than 20 organizations donated for the fencing project, to complete the P32M needed funds to fence the Baguio side of the said watershed.
Royeca also reported that 12 fence spans were already constructed from the P3Mdonated by BWD and P1M from the Benguet Electric Cooperative.
Other BRM partners that joined the forum were the Baguio City Police Office headed by City Director PSSupt. George Daskeo, City Legal Officer Atty.Melchor Rabanes, NBI chief investigation Darcy Binay-an, City Building and Architecture Office Representative Engr. Orlando Genove, and Private Sector Volunteer Rogelio Gose. (JDP/CCD & Abegail Clemente – PIA-UC Intern)
