BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved a resolution setting the parameters for the design and implementation of the repair and rehabilitation of the city-owned Baguio Convention Center.
One of the priority projects included in the City Development Council (CDC) Plan for 2018 is the repair and rehabilitation of the city-owned Baguio Convention Center wherein the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) put up the initial fund of P180 million to initiate the repair and rehabilitation of the property next year, thus, the need for the immediate concept and design plans for the scheduled bidding in December this year.
The resolution authored by Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon pointed out due to time constraint, there is a need to form the technical working group (TWG) composed of the City Building and Architecture Office architects and engineers, DPWH district and regional office architects and the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) headed by Arch. Dona R. Tabangin to do a comprehensive Baguio Convention Center design.
Earlier, in the stakeholders meeting held last August 31, 2017, it was resolved to adopt the design parameters based on the 2012 feasibility study for the rehabilitation and repair of the Baguio Convention Center focusing on the health, well-being and satisfaction of the end users; sense of place, heritage; sensual context; identity of Baguio city; compliance to accessibility law; adherence to national building law requirements; new comfort rooms; green building; maximizing natural vegetation and earth cover for landscaping; repair all leaks; replace roof and ceiling; make the basement usable by infusing natural lighting and ventilation; use durable, recyclable, non-toxic building or finishing materials; minimize the need for air conditioning; maximizing internal and natural light distribution and ventilation, especially in the basement; incorporating efficient water and storm water system; efficient solid waste management and rain water harvesting; alternative ingress or egress areas; maximize floor area efficiency and incorporating flexibility or adoptability to changing use and increase 1,500 seating capacity to 2,500; international standards; appropriate convention equipment and technology and acoustic qualities.
The resolution added the lead department for the concept and design is the CBAO in collaboration with the private sector, the UAP while the lead agency for the implementation of the approved design shall be the DPWH district and regional offices.
Yaranon underscored the importance of setting the parameters for the implementation of the design project to generate the best inputs for the best rehabilitation design.
She claimed all the parameters handed down by the implementing agency had been considered in the on-going preparation of the concept and eventual detailed engineering design for the project that will be bid out by December and implemented once the funds will be made available by the budget department.
By Dexter A. See
