BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan ordered the City Building and Architectures Office (CBAO), Public Order and Safety Division (POSD), Baguio Water District (BWD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Pinget barangay officials to facilitate the demolition of some 42 piggeries because of their alleged violations of the stringent standards in the put up of their own septic tanks for the proper disposal of waste emanating from the said piggeries.
During a meeting with the members of the United Pinget Homeowners Association (UPHA), barangay officials and representatives of concerned government agencies last January 24, 2017, the local chief executive pointed out it was agreed that piggeries within the Buyog watershed by members of the association which occupy areas which is part of what is proposed to be segregated from the watershed will be removed 15 days from the said date of meeting.
Further, he revealed that it was also agreed that residential buildings that do not have septic tanks or with septic tanks but did not comply with CBAO design and specifications will have to comply within 15 days from the date of the said meeting and that failure on their part to comply will cause the demolition of the said buildings.
Last February 7, 2017, representatives of CBAO, BWD, DOH, DENR and barangay officials conducted a follow-up inspection of the buildings and piggeries of the UPHA to ascertain their compliance to the earlier agreements.
However, results of the said multi-agency inspection showed that 42 homeowners maintain piggeries and from the said number of homeowners, 2 have on-going constructions of septic tanks; 21 have not constructed any septic tanks and 19 have existing septic tanks but not in compliance with the CBAO design and specifications.
“We have no recourse but to direct the concerned offices to demolish the structures that did not comply with our previous agreement and likewise remove the piggeries. The concerned offices are further directed to issue the notice to the involved parties as to the time and date they will implement the said directive,” Domogan stressed.
Earlier, Engr. Salvador M. Royeca, BWD general manager, wrote Mayor Domogan seeking his intervention in enjoining the UPHA members and residents of Buyog watershed to comply with the previous directive of removing the piggeries and installation or construction of water-tight waste water disposal system in accordance with CBAO designs and specifications.
Royeca explained the removal of piggeries and structures that do not have the appropriate septic tanks is in accordance to the programs of the water district in ensuring safe drinking water for the residents of the city.
Domogan appealed to the concerned Pinget residents to voluntarily comply with what was agreed upon, especially the removal of the piggeries, and for building owners to ensure the installation of the appropriate septic tanks in their respective structures to prevent the contamination of the water supply being sourced from the Buyog watershed.
By Dexter A. See
