THE Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) renewed its call in banning mining within the Summer Capital.
BRM said with the absence of Presidential Proclamation 414 and 517 identifying parts of Baguio City to be excluded from the Baguio Townsite Reservation, it should return the provision on no mining activities within the territorial boundary of the city which was excluded in the creation of the City Environment Code.
In the weekly Talakayan sa Environmental Code forum Lawyer Erdolfo Balajadia reiterated the return of such provision in the environment code to stop mining activities within the territorial jurisdiction on the city.
“If the two proclamations are non – existent, then, I urge the City Council to return the provision on the activity of mining in the environment code on the version that they want for as long as that specific provision is there,” Balajadia said.
Baguio City Congressman Marquez Go earlier confirmed the absence of documents pertaining to mineral reservations in the city by virtue of two proclamations passed by former President Carlos Garcia in 1957.
“If What Congressman Go is saying is true, then there is no law present regarding this matter. This would have been the local law that would have covered matters regarding mining activities in the city which is why I urge the City Council to bring back the provision on mining in the Environment Code,” Balajadia reiterated.
Baguio City based on the two proclamations has two mineral reservations excluding them from the Baguio Townsite Reservation: a 380-hectare area in barangays Laokan Apugan, Atok Trail and Kias under Proclamation 414 s.1957, and 159 hectares of land covering barangays Mines View and Lucban through Proclamation 572 s.1959.
Go earlier looked at the archives of Congress pertaining to Proclamation 414 Proclamation 572 which indicates these two proclamations will only take effect upon approval or concurrence of Congress.
However, Go said there were no laws passed by Congress concurring with the President’s Proclamation 414 and 572.