BAGUIO CITY – With the recently approved Environment Code of the city of Baguio which will serve as a plan in maintaining this mountain resort as an eco-cultural tourist destination, mayor Mauricio Domogan formally signed Administrative Order No. 183, series of 2016 creating the Parks Management Authority (PMA) as a policy making body for all parks and recreation ar-eas in Baguio.
The PMA will be chaired by city environment and parks management officer Cordelia Lacsamana with members, sangguniang panlungsod committee on tourism special events, parks and playgrounds councilor Elmer Datuin; city buildings and architecture office head Engr. Nazita Bañez; city engineer Elpidio Garabiles; city administrator atty. Carlos Canilao; city general ser-vices officer Romeo Concio; in-charge of the Baguio City Museum; representatives from the University of the Cordilleras, Saint Louis University, Association of the Barangay Councils and a member of the Local Finance Committee, United Architects of the Philippines and Philippine Civil Engineers of the Phils. Baguio Chapter.
It is the responsibility of the said body to formulation and review policies and guidelines for the management of the parks and recreation areas in the city for the approval of the city council, to coordinate the planning and preparation of the over-all concept and master plans of all parks and recreation areas in the city, to identify areas for partnership with the private sector rela-tive to the city’s Adopt a Park program and screen applications of would be adaptors, to monitor the implementation of priority projects, to prepare and submit related reports to the mayor on the status of the parks and recreation areas as basis for executive decision-making, to coordinate reg-ular public engagement to enhance awareness of the constituents on the aesthetic environmental value of city parks and recreational areas, and to recommend amendments to all existing codes to conform to the said code.
It is remembered that the code was finally approved after several deliberations and intro-duction of amendments. However, along with its approval, the same includes more attention on high-risk areas mainly the protection and management of lands within the city focusing on pro-tected areas covering national parks, natural monuments, natural parks, protected landscapes, re-source reserves, strict nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries.
Domogan stressed that with the passage of the environment code, it is high time to focus and give importance on the protection of all surroundings, conservation, management and admin-istration of the mountain resort so as to sustain its being the Summer Capital of the Philip-pines./Jho Arranz#
