Joseph Edison Claridades, a Baguio native, started the ‘no build zone’ petition to pave the way for the rehabilitation the city. He hopes the petition would muster at least 5,000 signatures before submitting it to President Rodrigo Duterte. (Photo courtesy of Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA)
BAGUIO CITY-- An online petition that aims to muster at least 5,000 signatures is now circulating to ask President Rodrigo Duterte to declare Baguio a “no-build zone” and pave the way for its possible rehabilitation.
"This is also to invoke community ownership for Baguio to be rehabilitated," Joseph Edison Claridades, a business process analyst, who started the petition and posted it last January 17, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.
To date, a total of 688 people signed the petition, which Claridades hopes would reach 225,000 or half of the daytime population of Baguio.
"This ‘no build zone’ petition is just a mechanism to implement solutions in rehabilitating the city. The term ‘no build zone’ will make Baguio developers realize whether the City of Pines is really a place to be developed or protected," he said.
Claridades said he already sent a letter to President Duterte, received by the Office of the Executive Secretary, furnishing the Chief Executive pieces of evidence why Baguio needs to be rehabilitated and the reasons that brought the city to "over development."
The letter to the President also mentioned the signature campaign, he said.
Claridades, 55, got his degree in architecture at a Baguio university and then migrated to Australia in 1986. When he returned to Baguio in 2011, he was shocked with what he saw.
"Being born and raised here in Baguio, I think it is just but right to give back to Baguio what it is right -- which is to repair, restrain and preserve it," he said in his petition.
“Baguio City is currently in a state of overdevelopment that brought traffic congestion, over population, over consumption, poor waste management and many more. Baguio needs to be rehabilitated in order to correct the wrong and slow down urban development,” the petition said.
He said he used the term "no-build zone" to assess peoples' take on the possible rehabilitation of the city.
"If the people of Baguio would realize the importance of this petition, then they can take ownership. If the residents accept it and if we will reach a very good response from others, then the President might think that this is really what the city wants," he said.
He also said the petition is addressed to President Duterte whom he has seen to have the conviction to do what is right no matter how unpopular and despite reactions of business people.
“If the President will see that almost half of the population of the city signed the petition, then he will declare Baguio as a ‘no build zone’," Claridades said.
"To address the congestion, buses will only be allowed at the central business district while jeepneys will only be outside CBD [central business district]," he said.
Due to the many developments, the city’s historical sites are damaged but the petition will also address the issue, Claridades said.
"I just conceptualized the content of this petition, but the Baguio community owns it. People has to take ownership of this because this is beneficial not only in today's generation but also to the future generation," he said.
Claridades said their generation was fortunate to grow up in what city was used to be, recalling his life in old Baguio.
“There were traffic congestions but not as chaotic as the present. There was no pollution, more green zones," he said.
"Realizing that I can contribute through my studies, I have decided to come up with this [petition] which I think is advantageous. If the vision will be met, Baguio will become a model city," he said.
Claridades said he is also meeting with various organizations for the petition to reach a wider scope.
"I have been receiving possible feedback from other people, especially the residents of Baguio. Let's hope that they will take ownership and fight for what is right not only for them but also for the future generations and for the City of Pines," he said. (PNA)
