(Originally published in the April 1-7, 2012 issue of the Baguio Chronicle ---
a weekly newspaper based in Baguio City, Philippines ---
by Sly L. Quintos, Associate Editor.)
“SINCE the function of the multi-sectoral committee is monitoring the tree-balling and all that, it means that we are allowing SM, in effect, to proceed with its development,” Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda contended.
“The answer is yes; it is implied in the committee report,” Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia replied. He is the chairman of the Committee on Health, Sanitation and Environment which rendered the report / recommendations in last week’s regular session of the Baguio city Council.
“We are not the proper body to stop the cutting of trees at SM,” he added.
Councilors Balajadia, Nicasio Aliping, Elmer Datuin, Fred Bagbagen, Nicasio Palaganas and Perlita Chan-Rondez signed the committee report and recommendations. Councilors Betty Lourdes Tabanda and Joel Alangsab also signed but with a notation that it should be discussed en banc. Councilor Karminn Yangot also signed but later withdrew her signature because she is among the petitioners in a case filed before the court.
The report is an offshoot of two exhaustive and extensive hearings conducted by the committee on the controversial deforestation plans of SM Baguio to give way to its expansion plans and of which was met by protests.
The committee report (of which an unsigned copy was furnished this writer personally by Councilor Balajadia) is recommending the creation of a multi-sectoral committee with its members coming from government offices and agencies and non-government organizations. “The main function of the said body is to serve as watchdog before, during and after the expansion and re-development of SM Baguio,” the report read.
Specifically, the multi-sectoral body shall (1) ensure that SM Baguio complies with its commitment to hire experts to monitor the viability of earthballing of trees; (2) to ensure that SM complies with its promise to plant 50 saplings for every tree that would be earthballed; (3) to ensure that SM Baguio complies with its commitment to help in the planting of trees in the watersheds and forest reserves of the city; (4) to ensure that SM Baguio complies with all the conditions indicated in the permits granted to it and to recommend the suspension and/or revocation of the said permits in case of violations of the terms thereon; and, (5) to ensure that SM Baguio complies with its commitment that its expansion and redevelopment project be environmentally-friendly.
In addition, the committee also recommended that SM “must first secure a permit from the Local Water Utilities Administration before its construction of its own water-harvesting facility”. The committee added to propose that SM re-design its expansion project “to reduce earthballing of trees within its premises”.
Meanwhile, Councilor Richard Cariño said the original ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that the committee report or recommendations would be submitted under the regular agenda has been violated (and not under “suspended rules”).
“Our understanding is that the committee report will be submitted on a Thursday at the earliest so that it can be calendared and we will be given the chance to read it,” he said. “I am amazed that this is being entered into now in violation of our agreement that this will be submitted in the regular agenda.”
“This committee report should have been submitted on March 12 but then we were not able to finish the report and that is why in that session of March 12, I made a manifestation that we will try to finish the committee report so that it will be discussed today,” snapped Balajadia.
“This morning, we furnished every member of this body and I think Councilor Cariño have all the time to go over it and have enough time to object if he wanted to; why is he saying that he does not have any knowledge that this committee report will be submitted this afternoon?” he added.
“I could have asked spared some members of this body the agony going through of this ordeal; I could have asked for their inhibition because of their interest in SM and I could have spared themselves of this agony; I could have asked the honorable Balajadia and the honorable Pinky Rondez to inhibit themselves,” Cariño fired back.
“My wife (who operates a fast food outlet at the SM Baguio Food Plaza) and I do not have interest in SM,” Balajadia replied as he stood his ground.
Presiding officer Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas quickly granted a motion for recess after which the committee report was deferred.
The next regular meeting of the council will be on April 16.*
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