Baguio City on alert vs squatting

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has reported that sustained monitoring efforts in the city’s watersheds continue to deter squatting and other illegal activities within protected areas.

According to the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) under Building Officer architect Johnny Degay, these surveillance measures have been effective in shielding the watersheds from land speculators.

This year, two unauthorized structures were identified and removed following due process, according to Engr. Donald Gas-ib, head of the CBAO Investigation and Demolition Division.

Last year, a total of 489 illegal structures were demolished from safeguarded areas, military reservations and private lots, including those found in watersheds.

Gas-ib noted a reduction in reported illegal constructions in watersheds, which could indicate that the anti-squatting measures, revitalized in 2022, are having a positive effect.

Magalong praised the collaborative efforts of various city offices and committees involved in the anti-squatting drive, including the City Buildings and Architecture Office, City Engineering Office, City Environment and Parks Management Office, Baguio City Police Office, City Legal Office, Anti-Squatting and Anti-Illegal Structures Committee (ASAISC) and the City Anti-Illegal Structures Committee (CAISC).

The Baguio police continue to incorporate watershed areas into their daily patrols. Specific stations monitor different areas:

• Camdas Police Station (PS) 2 oversees the Buyog watershed at Pinget and West Quirino Hill.
• Aurora Hill PS 6 guards the Busol watershed at Ambiong and Pacdal barangays.
• Pacdal PS 3 patrols the Busol watershed and Forbes Park forest reservation at South Drive barangay and other safeguarded areas.
• Kennon Road PS 8 secures the Camp 8 watershed.

Foresters from the City Environment and Parks Management Office also conduct regular foot patrols in the Busol watershed forest reservation to prevent illegal structures and forest product cutting.

Magalong has instructed barangay officials to monitor and report illegal constructions in their areas, whether on private lots or forest reservations, and encourages the public to report such occurrences.

As part of the enforcement procedures, owners of illegal structures on titled lots without ownership issues are required to stop construction and secure building permits.

Those with land disputes receive cease and desist orders and are advised to resolve their issues.

Structures on untitled or unregistered lots are issued notices of violation and investigated, while those on safeguarded lots are immediately endorsed for summary demolition.