Igorot Stone Kingdom allowed to reopen for 3 months
BAGUIO, Philippines – The Baguio city government has issued a provisional permit to Igorot Stone Kingdom, allowing the tourist destination to reopen in the time for Holy Week after five months of closure.
The temporary permit, valid for three months of operation, was issued for the site following the signing and issuance of an Affidavit of Understanding between park chief executive officer (CEO) Pio Velasco promising to comply with the conditions of the city government.
“Right now, the city government has issued a provisional permit to the Igorot Stone Kingdom due to the lack of a building permit for the constructed structures while they are fixing the entire area to be titled,” said City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña.
“The good thing about this is that they have been given an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), which means that there is no objection to their project in their area. There has also been a meeting with the agencies concerned, up to the barangay and residents and they have followed all the requirements they were supposed to present,” Dela Pena added.
As part of the conditions for the issuance of a permanent permit, Velasco was ordered to conduct slope stability and structural integrity studies on the 6,000 square meter park to ensure that safety standards are met.
Other conditions set by the local government include the following:
- A traffic mitigation plan approved by the City Engineering Office, Baguio City Police Office, and Department of Public Works and Highways
- Commitment to consult with the city’s Tourism Office for sustainability
- Establishment of disclaimers on the site that indicates that the stories and symbolisms used there are not reflective of, or associated with, any specific indigenous culture or people
Velasco also pledged to confine operations to the current boundaries of the park, as well as undertake efforts to ensure that the operations of the park does not reroute or block the natural waterways in the site.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the decision to allow the reopening of the park was based on deliberations and public consultations, as well as the mid-March dismissal of the complaint against the park’s management for alleged violations of Presidential Decree (PD) 1096 or the National Building Code, for lack of merit.
The park was closed in November 2022 due to permit and safety concerns. – Rappler.com
Angel Castillo is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.