Baguio rehab plans to be discussed this week

MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Tuesday confirmed that she, as well as Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Enviroment Secretary Roy Cimatu, will meet with Baguio City executives on Jan. 10 to see how the national government can help address overtourism, environment concerns and infrastructure sustainability in the country’s summer capital.

In a statement, Puyat said they would be visiting Burnham Park, Wright Park, Mines View Park, Baguio City’s sewage treatment plant and Balili river, and the sanitary land fill in Irisan.

Also to be discussed are possible sustainable projects on the urban carrying capacity of Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay, as well as other plans to redevelop and decongest Baguio City.

Among the projects that the Department of Tourism (DOT) pledged to bankroll through its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), is the P480-million rehabilitation of the iconic Burnham Park.

Puyat said the DOT and Tieza were also “intently” studying Baguio’s request for funding for the construction of a sewerage system and rehabilitation of the Mines View Park.—Jerome Aning