BGH flyover project resumes 05-11-20

	NORDIS WEEKLY November 20, 2005
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BGH flyover project resumes
BAGUIO CITY (Nov. 15) — The absence of a mayor’s clearance for the cutting of nineteen trees will not stall the flyover project at the Baguio General (BGH) Hospital Rotonda. The public works and highways director here disclosed on Nov. 14 that he has issued a resumption order for the controversial infrastructure last week. Dir. Mariano Alquiza of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-CAR) said pending the issuance of a tree-cutting permit by the Department of Environment and Natural Resopurces (DENR), and the awarding of Phase II to a local contractor he has ordered for the resumption of the project. “It could proceed even without a cutting permit. We will just postpone (the cutting),” Alquiza told the media during a lull at the District Engineers National Annual Convention here. He added that no old tree would be cut. “Only 19 (trees), including shrubs,” he clarified. Phase I, from the Marcos Highway to the Rotonda, met vigorous opposition from environmentalists, including incumbent Baguio City Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo intervened in March this year when she re-aligned the P44 million savings from road funds to Tinglayan in Kalinga and Kapangan in Benguet. According to Alquiza, PhaseII’s P19-million budget will be taken from the public works and highways’ infrastructure program. Phase III will also take some P25 million from the same budget allocation next year. He said the contractor of the second phase would still undergo a post-bidding evaluation before the actual awards would take place. Alquiza was optimistic that the construction work would start next month and would be completed within two to three years. Yaranon, however, stood pat that no mayor’s permit would allow a single tree to be cut. The DENR needs the local chief’s approval before it could issue a tree-cutting permit. “We could start at the other end,” Alquiza said noting that he did not receive any order suspending the flyover project. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS
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	NORDIS WEEKLY November 20, 2005
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
BGH flyover project resumes
BAGUIO CITY (Nov. 15) — The absence of a mayor’s clearance for the cutting of nineteen trees will not stall the flyover project at the Baguio General (BGH) Hospital Rotonda. The public works and highways director here disclosed on Nov. 14 that he has issued a resumption order for the controversial infrastructure last week. Dir. Mariano Alquiza of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-CAR) said pending the issuance of a tree-cutting permit by the Department of Environment and Natural Resopurces (DENR), and the awarding of Phase II to a local contractor he has ordered for the resumption of the project. “It could proceed even without a cutting permit. We will just postpone (the cutting),” Alquiza told the media during a lull at the District Engineers National Annual Convention here. He added that no old tree would be cut. “Only 19 (trees), including shrubs,” he clarified. Phase I, from the Marcos Highway to the Rotonda, met vigorous opposition from environmentalists, including incumbent Baguio City Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo intervened in March this year when she re-aligned the P44 million savings from road funds to Tinglayan in Kalinga and Kapangan in Benguet. According to Alquiza, PhaseII’s P19-million budget will be taken from the public works and highways’ infrastructure program. Phase III will also take some P25 million from the same budget allocation next year. He said the contractor of the second phase would still undergo a post-bidding evaluation before the actual awards would take place. Alquiza was optimistic that the construction work would start next month and would be completed within two to three years. Yaranon, however, stood pat that no mayor’s permit would allow a single tree to be cut. The DENR needs the local chief’s approval before it could issue a tree-cutting permit. “We could start at the other end,” Alquiza said noting that he did not receive any order suspending the flyover project. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS
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