BAGUIO CITY – Concerned sectors in the city vehemently opposed the proposed construction of a 6-story pay parking building within a portion of the Manuel L. Quezon elementary School because it is in violation of a Presidential Proclamation declaring the open space for educational purposes aside from its negative impact of the safety and security of the school’s learners.
During a recent public consultation, school and barangay officials, representatives from the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and concerned residents voiced out their sentiments against the proposed project, raising questions on how a building could contribute in reducing greenhouse gas emissions when it is in fact contributory to the same being an absorbent which local government representatives were not able to satisfactorily address.
The concerned sectors claimed that the proposed put up of a multi-story parking structure in the open field of the Quezon elementary School is in gross violation of a Presidential Proclamation that declared the area exclusively for educational purposes for the benefit of the learners who use the area for their sports and recreational activities and training ground of athletes participating in different types of sports events.
Another issue that was raised is that the said plan runs counter to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child where the Philippines is a signatory which mandates governments to advance the development and safety of children by providing them with safe learning environment and not to expose them to extreme danger such as in the case of the proposed pay parking structure.
Residents from barangays Engineer’s Hill, Marcoville, DPS Compound, Military Cutoff among others affirmed that the open space played a pivotal role as an evacuation area during the July 16, 1990 that rocked most parts of Northern Luzon and that the put up of the proposed structure will definitely constrict the area that will deprive them of the use of the place for evacuation purposes during emergency and disaster situations in the future.
The sectors challenged the local government to come out with a definite pronouncement whether or not to push through with the said project because city officials were not actually definite in their stand when pestered with the strong opposition to the planned construction of a multi-story parking structure in the area.
According to them, the expected huge volume of vehicles that will patronize the pay parking building will definitely contribute to the pollution in the area that will pose a serious threat to the health and safety of the thousands of learners in the school aside from causing monstrous traffic congestions because of its proximity to other nearby areas with heavy foot traffic such as the existing bus terminal, a gymnasium, business establishments among others.
Moreover, it was alleged that the construction of the pay parking building is nut actually aligned with the ongoing efforts of the local government to establish green spaces because the structure will actually occupy a huge portion of the open filed that will affect the playing venues and the density of structures in the area apart from causing more problems instead of providing solutions.
The concerned sectors advised city officials to first seriously evaluate and assess their proposed projects to avoid similar complications that will derail their implementation in the future. By HENT
