CITING concerns over previous city complaints of poor workmanship in infrastructure projects, the Baguio City Council has called for a joint inspection of the site for a proposed P118m parking site near the Lion’s Head in Kennon Road.
The site inspection will be done collaboratively by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Cordillera Administrative Office (DPWH-CAR), Baguio City District Engineering Officer (BCDEO)-DPWH, City Engineering Office (CEO), and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The parking facility being constructed near the Lion’s Head can accommodate around 400 parking slots. The said facility will cater to tourists coming up to the city in order to ease the traffic congestion experienced along the highway especially during the peak season.
According to the council, the call for inspection was prompted by safety concerns raised by a Baguio-based engineer, as well as a track record of infrastructure in Baguio City being substandard.
According to DPWH-CAR, the parking facility will be turned over to the city government once completed.
The project includes the construction of gabions and Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE), drainage structure, flume structure, box culvert, double crib wall, additional one-lane PCCP, and a bio-engineering system consisting of coconet, cocolog, and vegetation. These structures are meant to ensure a safe and reliable national road system.
Engineers from the DPWH-CAR assured the city council that a design analysis and hydraulic analysis were conducted. They claimed these analyses proved that the structures are safe.
However, some council members pointed out that the DPWH-CAR had not yet obtained a clearance from the MGB-DENR. Councilors Leandro Yangot and Mylen Yaranon said a geohazard certification from the MGB-DENR is needed in order to ensure the suitability and safety of the project site.
