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Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

‘Compensate Baguio for SM expansion’

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BAGUIO CITY–Mayor Mauricio Domogan urged the management of SM City Baguio to strictly comply with the compensatory requirement of the environment department for its mall expansion to avoid criticism from local residents.

The local chief executive said the recent ruling of the Supreme Court excluding the expansion from the coverage of the temporary restraining order it issued on the cutting and balling of trees was a welcome development since the project will enhance business activity in the city.

“We are grateful that the high court saw merit in the implementation of the down-sized mall expansion project because it upheld the right of the owner to introduce the desired development of its property,” Domogan stressed.

Under the tree cutting permit issued by former Environment secretary Ramon Paje to SM City Baguio, the giant chain of malls is required to plant at least 5,700 trees to replace the 60 trees and saplings that were cut and balled from the project site.

However, SM management committed to plant one million trees with 500,000 trees earmarked for identified plantation sites around the city within a prescribed period of time. Further, it committed to hire foresters to oversee the growth of trees to be planted within a three-year period to guarantee 100-percent growth.

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The mayor said SM management partnered with the city government in the planting of more than 10,000 assorted tree species during the planned tree planting activity of city hall officials and employees on the 139-hectare city-owned property in barangays Camp 7 and Sto. Tomas School area on Sept. 16, 2016.

Aside from city officials and employees, he said, barangay officials and residents from barangays Camp 7, Sto. Tomas School Area, Dontogan and Sto. Tomas Proper will join the mass tree planting activity and help the local government set the limits of the property.

Domogan stressed that it was the national government that gave the tree-cutting permit for the project.

He claimed the property was bidded out during the time of former President Corazon Aquino and SM Prime Holdings gave the best offer so it secured a title for the property and developed it.

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