Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Councilor seeks all-out drive v. watershed squatters By Ernie N. Olson Jr.
A PROPOSED resolution was introduced last Tuesday to support and immediately implement a request of the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) to implement all pending issued demolition orders over all structures constructed within the Busol watershed reservation.
According to Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, who introduced the resolution, the Busol watershed was established as a forest reservation by virtue of Presidential Proclamation Order 15 dated April 27, 1922 for the purpose of conserving and protecting water and timber in Baguio and La Trinidad in Benguet.
"The protection of the water supply is of primary importance, and all other uses of the forest is subordinated to that purpose, (because) the Busol forest reservation supplies water for the domestic use of about 30 percent of Baguio's populace," he pointed out.
Balajadia said since the Busol forest reservation is threatened by various activities such as squatting, timber poaching, illegal occupation and many other illegal acts which are caused mainly by the continuous influx of people into the watershed, if nothing is done to address the matter, the quality and quantity of water drawn from the watershed will be adversely affected and will endanger the lives of the people of Baguio City.
He explained that although the City Government issued many demolition orders against squatters and other illegal occupants of the watershed reservation, some were implemented, while some others were not.
As such, Balajadia proposed that the City Council should resolve to support and immediately implement Resolution No. 1 series of 2008 of the BRM, which requests Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. to implement all pending demolition orders issued against all structures constructed within the Busol watershed reservation.
The councilor also proposed all pending demolition orders should be submitted to the concerned city departments for the immediate demolition of all illegal structures constructed within the forest reservation.
Balajadia said copies of this proposed resolution was forwarded to the Office of the City Council secretary for inclusion in their agenda.
