Baguio mall allows expansion site inspection

MANILA, Philippines - SM City Baguio on Wednesday opened its door to critics and government authorities to prove that it is not hiding anything, including the earth-balled trees that were re-planted in the mall’s ongoing expansion and redevelopment project.

SM also showed to the inspection team from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Baguio City Hall representatives and forestry experts, the soil erosion on the sloping terrain at the back of the mall that prompted the management to work on the redevelopment plan.

Also present were representatives of the group opposed to the mall’s expansion project who also took pictures and videos during the inspection, which SM committed during last Monday’s multi-sectoral meeting called by DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Bien Mateo, vice president of SM Supermalls, who was present during the inspection, said the mall’s planning group suggested the building of structures to correct the erosion that had also affected some of the trees.

“We went further to plan a parking building to ease the traffic on Session Road, which would also result in lessening the air pollution in the area. To justify the building cost, we added some shopping spaces in the open air levels,” he said.

“We are not only talking here about expanding the mall, our main concern here is to ensure the stability of the structure and its surroundings. This has been an international practice as you can see the same engineering works on other steeply sloping terrain in places like Switzerland, Hong Kong, Baguio, Tagaytay and others around the world “ Mateo said.

“As they were able to see, we have not cut any tree but earth-balled about 40 Alnus and one Pine trees that were already re-planted within the area covered by SM City Baguio,” Mateo said. “And we’re doing them under the supervision of forestry experts and representatives from DENR using heavy equipment in compliance also with the directive of the DENR.”