Burnham as heritage park thumbed down by BBM

August 15, 2020 Metro BLISTT

Mayor Benjamin Magalong has informed the city council about his decision to not sign the resolution supporting House Bill No. 1341 which seeks to declare Burnham Park as a national heritage park.
In his letter, the chief executive claimed that such declaration is better suited after the completion of the city’s development plans for Burnham Park.
“The declaration of Burnham Park as a national heritage at this time, though well intention, may be the cause of additional steps that we have to undertake as we implement our pending rehabilitation and development projects in the park including those which are covered by our agreement with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA),” Magalong said.
Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan wrote a marginal note on the letter stating the message of the mayor is “very noble.” The matter was then referred to the Sanggunian’s Committee on Laws, Human Rights, and Justice chaired by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda for consideration.
Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon, main author of Resolution No. 435-2020, cited a letter dated April 17, 2015 of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) informing Dr. Ronaldo Paraan, Chairperson of the Baguio Heritage Foundation, that the commission had recognized the national historical significance of Burnham Park. In a separate letter dated April 20, 2017, the commission proposed to install a historical marker at Burnham Park subject to the confirmation of the city government.
Yaranon also recalled that the commission wrote former Mayor Mauricio Domogan in September 2017 stressing the historical significance of Burnham Park and its preservation as an open space in light of a proposed construction of a multi-storey car park within Burnham Park.
Yaranon said it is best to pursue the stalled installation of a historical marker in the park as sought by the NCHP.
JH