BAGUIO CITY, July 22 (PNA) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now in the process of completing the survey needed to plot the perimeter fence of the Busol Watershed.
Baguio City mayor Mauricio Domogan said the construction of the perimeter fence around the watershed is being prioritized to protect it from informal settlers.
The local government unit (LGU) of Baguio City is working with the DENR, the Baguio Water District (BWD) and the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) to hasten the fencing project.
In an interview Tuesday, Domogan said the BRM and the BWD teamed up to shell out some Php4M for the fencing of Busol – Baguio side which spans to about 112 hectares.
The amount is not enough and the stakeholders are soliciting for more funds from the private sector and other organizations and individuals, he said.
The Busol Perimeter Fencing Project costs about Php32M, Domogan revealed.
Domogan said the demolition of illegal structures inside the watershed will continue as soon as the land survey is completed.
In a separate interview, BRM chairman Erdolfo Balajadia dared the city officials to show political will in weeding out the informal settlers who already built concrete structures inside the watershed.
The project is strengthened by a Supreme Court (SC) decision on February 7, 2013 that reversed the Court of Appeals (CA) decision favoring the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). (PNA)