BAGUIO CITY – “Contrary to reports published, we wish to clarify that TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority) never mentioned the ejectment of the Baguio Museum.”
This was emphasized in a letter to Mayor Mauricio Domogan by TIEZA chief operating officer Guiller Asido.
Asido also expressed their willingness to meet with the Mayor and other stakeholders on the issue.
The Mayor is pushing for a dialogue with the Department of Tourism, TIEZA and Baguio Museum aimed at resolving the fate of the parcel of land presently occupied by the museum.
Domogan met earlier with board members of Baguio Museum to hear their side on fears that they will be ejected once development plans of TIEZA in the area will commence.
He is advocating for the inclusion of the museum in any developments TIEZA plans for the area.
“We are a stakeholder in this also, we have to talk about this, we have to involve ourselves,” Domogan said.
In his letter, Asido shared relevant documents and provisions with regard to ownership of the lot where the Baguio Museum building stands including the Memorandum of Agreement between Baguio city and Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) signed on July 11, 1975 and Presidential Decree 1172 issued on July 12, 1977 granting ownership of the entire Tourism Complex to PTA.
Asido said that PD 1172 has not been superseded by any law up to now and that the PTA, even after its reorganization under RA 9593 as TIEZA, continues to possess rights as owner./Gaby Keith
