BAGUIO CITY – Concerned sectors in the city criticized the city government for allegedly willfully allowing the operation of a concrete batching plant right in the heart of the central business district, particularly within the Baguio Athletic Bowl, in gross violation of an existing ordinance that prohibits the same.
Ordinance No. 43, series of 2007, prohibits the operation of concrete batching plants in the city which was passed to strengthen the clean and green campaign of the local government at that time.
The said ordinance was the basis of the previous administration in compelling the removal of the batching plant of a wealthy businessman in Camp 7 despite various cases that were filed that questioned the validity of the measure.
Sources, who requested anonymity for various reasons, questioned city officials on who among them allowed the put up of the batching plant right within the heart of the city amidst the existence of the ordinance which undermines the wisdom of the measure.
Further, the sources allege that the batching plant had been operational in the area since the early months of the year to allegedly make it easier for the contractor of the Baguio Youth Convergence Center to batch the concrete that is being used for the put up of the multi-million structure.
The sources added that sports enthusiasts who are regularly training in the athletic bowl have already brought the matter to the attention of concerned city officials but no concrete action had been taken to immediately relocated the said facility but instead its operation has continued and tolerated that forced most of them to look for other training sites to avoid the pollution caused by the batching of the concrete in the area.
According to them, the mere presence of several concrete mixers in the area is a clear indication that the established batching plant in the sports complex is operational to the detriment of the health and safety of the athletes and the state of the environment of the central business district area.
If the city government is for the improvement of the air quality in the city, the sources argued that allowing the operation of the concrete batching plant is not a good decision because it is in clear violation of the ordinance aside from the fact that it had been emitting dust particles that already pollutes the city’s air.
The sources claimed that there is no reason why local officials should have allowed the operation of the batching plant if not to make it easier for the contractor of the Baguio youth convergence center to batch the needed concrete.
The sources pointed out the city government should have considered the merit of the ordinance and not the interest of the contractor in allowing the existence and operation of the batching plant right in the heart of the city. Contributed Article