Businessmen oppose Baguio national road's closure

Sunday, February 5, 2012

SOME businessmen in Baguio City have expressed dismay at the move of some groups who started the experimental closure of a portion of Session Road last January 27 to vehicles.

The closure of Session Road, the main artery of Baguio's central business district, was done as part of the City Government's plan to pedestrianize the area.

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Mayor Mauricio Domogan earlier said the concept of closing down Session Road is not something new and may be worked out if the City Government finds it feasible.

At present, there have been no final plans yet on the pedestrianization project as the City is still getting inputs from various stakeholders, said former city architect Jody Alabanza.

But in last Thursday's forum at Prime Hotel, owners of business establishment at the Session Road expressed doubts the opening up of the road to pedestrians would be sustainable without them losing customers in the long run.

Business owner Wilbur Tan said if the proponents want a tourist destination, it should be Burnham Park and not Session Road.

This was backed by fellow businessman Mike Del Rosario, who said the move would just transfer traffic and pollution to other places where cars are diverted.

Nelia Cid of the Session Road Business Owners Association also opposed the move, saying the City cannot close a national road and the central business district.

She said they are for the strict implementation of no parking along the city's main artery except for deliveries and pick-up.

Cid explained that during the time of former mayor now Representative Bernardo Vergara, countless experiments on the closure were done but these resulted only in more losses for businessmen along the strategic road.

She added that the closure would also result in patrons walking far just to reach banks to make deposits, withdrawals and other transactions.

The businessmen also criticized the experimental closure led by environmental lawyer Antionio Oposa and Alabanza, claiming nobody ate in cafes placed on one lane of the Session Road.

"Customers end up eating pollution and inhaling fumes from cars from the other side," she said.

However, another businessman Mike Pearson said business owners have also to accept that the Session Road they know is no longer what it is today.

He cited overpopulation problems, continued migration, safety concerns, lighting problems and sewerage problems that need to be addressed.

"But we have nothing to blame but ourselves, many businesses throw away their garbage such as used oil directly on the streets," he said. "Maybe it's time to clean-up our act."

He suggested they should get City Hall to understand their situation while business owners should also organize themselves into something that would solidly push for improvements in the city's main artery.