BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance designated the Rose Garden of Burnham Park, Rizal Park and the landscaped area fronting the city hall building as demonstration areas showcasing the use of organic fertilizers derived from the city’s Environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines and the sludge generated from the Baguio sewerage treatment plant.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Elaine D. Sembrano stated that it shall be the policy of the local government to promote the use of environmentally-sound methods and sustainable practices that maximize the utilization of valuable resources and encourage resource recovery, conservation and utilization.
The ordinance stipulated that the designation of the aforesaid areas is primarily intended to utilize the said areas to show the effects or results of using the organic fertilizers produced by the multi-million ERS machines and the sludge taken out from the city’s STP in the growing, cultivation and maintenance of ornamental plants, flowers and foliages in the said parks.
It added the organic fertilizer demonstration sites shall be for a minimum period of nine years and shall be maintained for as long as needed by the local government and the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEpmo) shall utilize the said area to develop new ornamental plants, foliages and other greeneries as planting materials together with new technologies for the enhancement of parks and roadside gardens.
Further, the CEPMO shall come up with a semestral scientific report or documentation regarding the effects of the ERS fertilizers and STP sludge as fertilizers as part of its continuing research and development extension component relative to optimizing the use of organic by products, its technology-based solutions for waste management and a strategy for cost recovery and biodiversity.
The ordinance claimed the scientific reports and documentations shall be made available to the public at the City Library for the reference of the public.
Moreover, the Parks Management Division of CEPMO and the Solid waste Management Division of the City General Services Office shall jointly draw a common action plan to immediately implement the ERS organic fertilizers and STP sludge as fertilizers pilot demonstration activity as provided in the local legislative measure and that the plan shall include among others, a schedule of fertilizer application according to quality; volume, frequency, mixture, plant type, and other related aspects to facilitate monitoring and as basis in the assessment of the effects of the organic fertilizer.
The ordinance stated the annual budget of the CEPMO under its Parks Management Services shall be adjusted to provide for allocations for the implementation of the pertinent provisions of the local legislative measure.
Ordinance No. 18, series of 2016 or the city’s Environment code provides that the local government commits to steadfastly implement comprehensive, sustainable development practices to protect, conserve, preserve and mitigate ensuing environmental concerns of its natural resources.
By Dexter A. See
