Baguio next ecotourism zone to be rehabilitated —DENR

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Sunday said Baguio will be the next ecotourism zone the government will rehabilitate, given the geo-hazard and traffic concerns in the area.

According to Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda, government efforts will be focused on the rehabilitation of Baguio after  Boracay, Palawan, and Bohol.

"Meron pong study na 70 percent ng lugar diyan sa Baguio po, sa Benguet, ay geo-hazard kung kaya't immediately 'yan ang bibigyan natin ng concern at hindi na po natin hahayaan mangyari ulti 'yung dating nangyari, 'yung Hyatt tragedy," he said in an interview on GMA Super Radyo dzBB.

He was referring to the Hyatt Terraces Baguio Hotel, which was destroyed by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in 1990, killing dozens of people.

"Alam naman natin, karamihan ng soil sa Baguio eh saturated na po at fractured na rin po 'yung kaniyang mga rocks," said Antiporda.

Antiporda said the government will also look into traffic concerns in the city that gets congested as tourists visit during the holidays.

"'Yan po ay isa rin na kailangan mai-address natin at sad to say, dahil din po sa istruktura ng kaniyang bundok eh hindi ho natin magawa na ika nga'y magkaroon ng tinatawag ng expansion ng kaniyang mga road network," he explained.

Aside from this, Antiporda noted that environmental concerns such as air pollution will be looked into, as the city no longer has the pine smell it was once known for.

The national government will be working with the local government unit of Baguio to look into the possibility of adopting e-vehicles which would lessen pollution in the area.

"Habang may tiwala ang tao, gagawin natin lahat para po ang tao mismo ay magising at magkaroon ng awareness," said Antiporda.

In the same interview, Antiporda said the rehabilitation of the Boracay island is on-track, with the road networks expected to be completed before the end of the year.

"'Yung network, matatapos po siya, lalo na 'yung circumferential road. 'Yun po lang naman ang pinangako natin at 'yan po ay may pondo na po at ito po ay matatapos bago matapos ang taon," he said. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News