There’s No Reason to Delay the City Hall Improvement Project – Mayor
May 23, 2015
BAGUIO CITY – With the pressing issue on the historical site declaration of city hall, mayor Mauricio Domogan, in his weekly forum last Wednesday stressed that there is no reason for the city government to delay the on-going improvement of the city hall grounds.
“We should take into consideration the escalation of prices of materials once we delay the project,” said Domogan.
While the city government here has nothing against the declaration of city hall, Domogan pointed out that the declaration did not undergo the proper process as it was not coordinated with the city government and no public hearing was conducted nor there was no any form of endorsement like a resolution issued.
With his meeting with Arch. Dado of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Domogan was able to explain that it is the concern of the city to protect city hall, and as a proof was the massive renovation of city hall building years back during his term. Despite the massive renovation, the city was able to maintain and preserve its agricultural design.
Domogan said that there was no formal and legal declaration coming from the NHCP formally declaring city hall as national historical site/landmark. A marker was only installed at eh entrance of city hall in 2009 identifying it as historical site.
“The on-going city hall project will not in any way cause obstruction on the view of the government building, but, instead, we are beautifying, enhancing and improving and at the same time protecting and securing the city hall,” said Domogan.
In declaring city hall as historical site, Domogan emphasized that there should be a survey to be conducted in order to know the exact metes and bounds of what is covered by the declaration. It is important to define what kind development is to be made which do not need approval by the NHCP and what kind development to be made that needs approval from the NHCP.
“Let us help one another to have city hall be declared as heritage site,” he added./Jho Arranz
