The city government’s environmental efforts are evident in several key projects that are on-going across the Summer Capital according to Mayor Benjamin Magalong in his 2024 State of the City Address , Sept. 1, at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center.
He said preparations are set for the groundbreaking of Ibaloi Park and Igorot Garden with Bayan Park already 74 percent complete; the Arboretum phases 1 and 2 have already been completed and phase 3 underway.
The city is establishing the Forbes Park Tree Research Center in collaboration with regional agencies and non-government organizations to study and propagate indigenous plants and its ‘Adopt a Park/Island’ initiative is gaining momentum in partnership with various groups and businesses from the private sector to rehabilitate and maintain these valuable green spaces, the Mayor said.
“Our commitment to a sustainable future extends beyond just preserving green spaces and promoting biodiversity. One of the key decisions we made recently was to abandon our waste-to-energy project and shift to waste-to-resource, a concept that focuses on circular economy and treating waste as a resource,” he said.
To support this, the city council passed an ordinance this year institutionalizing the Ecological Waste Management and Sustainability Fair held quarterly to promote sustainable practices and cut waste management costs.
“In line with this commitment, I’m proud to announce the opening of our first electronic waste collection facility in Barangay Bakakeng Central, the first in the region. Operational since February 2024, this facility serves as a hub for the safe disposal and treatment of electronic waste, such as appliances and CRT equipment,” Magalong said.
He said the city is actively working closely with the academe to conduct eco-consciousness workshops where students present a range of innovative solutions for sustainability and pollution management.
“We are preparing the Smart City-Net Zero Roadmap of the city for 2030, using data analytics and sensing systems to monitor our environment. We’ve recognized the need to adopt green infrastructure, leading us to discuss a net zero ordinance with the city council and establish a net zero investor’s alliance,” the Mayor said.
He recently issued a directive for all motorists, local and visitors, to have their vehicles checked for smoke emissions due to rising carbon levels in the city’s air and that starting September 22, it will aggressively launch a campaign targeting vehicles that exceed emission standards.
In December 2023, the city enacted a Healthy Public Open Spaces initiative ordinance to manage public spaces for sustainability and resident well-being.
“We’re committed to a healthy environment, regulating food handlers, enforcing sanitary standards and promoting cleanliness through our zero open defecation campaign which earned us the Zero Open Defecation Award from DOH-CAR in October 2023. We also adhere to strict medical management and regulatory conduct safe water monitoring to protect public health and our natural resources,” the Mayor said.-Gaby B. Keith
