BUSINESS OWNERS at Camp 8, Kennon Road have sought the help of the Baguio City Council after their business permits had been withheld following the objection of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).
In their letter addressed to the members of the city council, the business owners said they feared that they would lose their means of livelihood and requested the assistance of the body for the issuance of their business permits.
The area where the business owners are located is part of the lot claimed by BGHMC. A survey plan indicates that the barangay hall, the basketball court, and the area in question (all three areas located in Camp 8 Barangay) are within the BGH reservation under Proclamation 472, s. 1968.
To help thresh out the matter, the city council summoned the concerned citizens and representatives of BGHMC, Permits and Licensing Division (PLD), and the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) to its regular session last October 24.
Elias Aoanan, CPDO representative, said the issuance of a locational clearance to the business owners is subject to the consent granted by the administration of the BGHMC. A locational clearance is a prerequisite to the issuance of a business permit.
Atty. Joan Estoque, BGHMC representative, told the city council that the BGHMC is currently undergoing expansion in accordance with its development plan, thus it had ceased granting the vendors consent to use the area.
The said development includes the construction of additional hospitals to accommodate more medical services offered by BGHMC. Estoque mentioned that the construction of additional hospitals within the BGHMC premises had already started. However, there are no definite timelines yet for the commencement of expansion projects in other areas, she disclosed.
She explained that, if it is determined to be within the road-right-of-way, the area in question would no longer form part of the BGHMC reservation, and the proper agency to issue clearance would be the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The city council, through a resolution, requested BGHMC to issue temporary clearances to all business owners operating within the BGHMC reservation, provided the vendors execute an undertaking to voluntarily vacate the premises when needed.
The council further requested BGHMC to submit a position paper including the survey plan/map showing the areas that are covered by the BGH reservation.
Meanwhile, Lopito Nabulay, punong barangay of Camp 8, said they had lobbied to Congressman Mark Go for the segregation of the portions occupied by the barangay from the BGHMC reservation.
Records showed that the vendors had been issued business permits and had been allowed to continue selling in the area earlier this year upon the recommendation of the city council. During a council session, it was found out that the business owners had then signed an undertaking with BGHMC to temporarily use the area with the agreement that they would vacate it the moment BGHMC decided to implement its development plan. **Jordan G. Habbiling
