City officials, last Monday, announced that a public consultation will be held regarding the proposed redevelopment and improvement of the sidewalk on the right side (going up) of Session Road.
Set on April 29, 2022 at 10:00 AM, the public consultation seeks to address various concerns raised by citizens after the proposed project was bared to the public through the official Facebook page of the city’s Public Information Office.
The public consultation will take place at the CDRRMO Hall, Lower Rock Quarry.
Majority of the comments expressed disagreement on the putting up of a shed over the sidewalk. Netizens claimed that the shed will obstruct the skyline which is an aesthetically pleasing view. Others also claimed that the added structure may impede the mobility of pedestrians.
During the regular session of the Baguio City Council, the concerned city department heads said the details of the plan are now being fine-tuned based on the constructive comments given by the constituents.
The updated plan will be presented during the public consultation for further comments and recommendations.
Arch. Donna Tabangin, City Planning and Development Coordinator, assured the council members that the updated plan will also be presented to the city council.
An amount of P20 million had been earmarked by the city government for the proposed redevelopment of the sidewalk.
The project had already been bid out, and a notice to proceed was issued last March 22. However, Engr. Victorio Olpindo, city engineer, said the implementation was suspended pending the conduct of the public consultation.
Earlier, a mock-up was installed at Session Road below the Post Office in line with the Green Walks Initiative of the city. A mock-up is a “life-size model employed by the city’s planners and engineers in order to acquire feedback from the users about a design idea early in the design process.”
Olpindo stated that the mock-up will serve as the blueprint for the proposed Session Road sidewalk improvement. He said the design earned positive feedback from the public.
According to Engr. Bonifacio dela Peña, City Administrator, the City Engineering Office should come up with a new estimated unit cost and total cost based on the updated plan.
The city administrator said the city government needs around P40-P60 million for the redevelopment of the whole road.
Several council members stressed the need for a public consultation with the stakeholders and elected city officials on projects affecting places in the city that have historical significance.
Although not yet officially declared by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as a historical site, the whole stretch of Session Road is considered historic by many locals.
Session Road was named as such because it once led up to the old Baden Powell Hall where the Philippine Commission held its sessions from April 22 to June 11, 1904. The Baden Powell area bears a historical marker, but not the entire stretch of Session Road.
Previously, a Session Road revitalization plan was conceptualized. The project, supposedly covering the center aisle of the road, was initially funded by the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) with an amount of P600,000.00. However, with a new Session Road redevelopment plan pushing through, the said amount will instead be used for the revitalization of the Botanical Garden.
The city council advised CEPMO to follow the proper procedure in canceling and rebidding projects. **Jordan G. Habbiling
