Bautista said that with the approved budget for this year, he hopes to begin the Session Road beautification project, particularly the improvement of the sidewalks and lighting fixtures anytime soon and hopes to complete the project in time for the Panagbenga celebration in February.
With the possible augmentation of the budget later this year, he said he also plans to pursue the upgrading of the city’s street signs to international standards and the improvement of the facilities at Burnham Park, which has long been planned but remained unimplemented due to budget constraint.
On the environmental front, the mayor welcomed the installation of an air quality measuring machine at the central business district (CBD) to monitor the air quality in the busiest part of the city.
He said regular monitoring reports on this concern would enable the city to act on pollution concerns at the CBD.
He said most recent reports showed that the city’s air quality remain within normal levels.
As to the squatting concern at the Busol watershed, he said he is set to issue orders for the immediate removal of all shanties within the watershed. He said he will also cancel the hold order earlier issued in deference to court proceedings to allow the imposition of demolition orders earlier issued in the area. He said he has given City Legal officer-in-charge Melchor Carlos Rabanes instructions along this line.
“We are serious on this matter and we expect a barrage of suits but we intend to fight it out with them,” he said.
Bautista also vowed to give more focus on major issues that have an impact on the city’s welfare, particularly the concerns on Camp John Hay, city market, Baguio Convention Center, the Asin mini-hydro electric plants and others of the same importance. (Aileen Refuerzo)
