Magalong apologizes for ‘Cesspool on Strawberry’ Gaffe

January 21, 2020 Headlines

BAGUIO CITY (January 17, 2020) – Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong apologized to La Trinidad, Benguet for his “uncalled for” statements that damaged La Trinidad and its famous strawberries.
“I was emphasizing that we in Baguio are guilty of polluting Balili River that flows down to the municipality, that we have a social responsibility to address it and that we are going to do something about it so that they will have cleaner water but in my desire to drive home that point, I came up with uncalled for statement that I should have not said at all. I was wrong and I apologize,” the mayor said.
During a top level meeting with tourism chief Bernadette Romulo–Puyat, DENR Assistant Secretary Jesus Salazar representing Roy Cimatu and interior chief Eduardo Año with Baguio-La Trinidad–Itogon–Sablan–Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) leaders, Magalong indicated in jest in his presentation of Baguio’s rehabilitation about the neighboring town La Trinidad’s main product – strawberries grows on water from the “polluted” Balili River.
“Saan nanggagaling pinandidilig sa strawberry farm? Saan nanggagaling ang pinandidilig natin doon, kung minsan kapag nag strawberry picking tayo, may nakita tayong napalaking strawberries sinusubo na natin,” Magalong smirked as he exposed Baguio’s woes on air quality, water supply and solid waste management.
It brought laughter and giggles but disdain from La Trinidad officials present which included La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda and Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas. Diclas left the meeting after a few minutes while Salda stayed.
Magalong was advocating additional space in the sewerage treatment plant which currently operates at 12,400 cubic meters daily way above its normal operating capacity of only 8,600 cubic meters pursuant to its design needing an urgent rehabilitation considering the increase in the number of houses in the city which has reached over 90,000.
Salda disproved Magalong saying there is no irrigation from Balili River going to swamp area where strawberry farms are. “We have source from creek from Pico and Puguis but none from Balili River.”
Balili River remains polluted due to illegal waste discharge which spans from Kilometer 3 to 6. Its headwaters is Baguio City. Due to the ailing state of the river, the Balili River System Coalition was created which composed of the City of Baguio, La Trinidad and Sablan and the province of Benguet, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), private sector, academe and civil society groups.
Salda though admitted Magalong had apologized via a text message. “My apologies if you felt slighted with my pronouncement regarding Balili River and our strawberry farm. I believe it was uncalled for. I will make amends,” the text message read.
Jumy Buya, head of La Trinidad Farmers Irrigators Association said water from spring, deep wells, and water deliveries water the strawberries at the farms.
While La Trinidad tourism officer Valred Olsim had urged other officials within the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) areas to be retrospect in issuing or uttering statements that can have a negative impact to their neighbors.
Olsim also said that the Balili River is far from the strawberry farms. He said that the farmers together with the municipal government of La Trinidad are doing necessary measures to ensure the safety of the visitors and all the people in the capital town of Benguet. “We are presently working for the passage of the tourism code of our town to set standards that should be followed especially in the agri-tourism sites,” he said.
“We wish to point out that some of the information there are not true,” Olsim said referring to Magalong’s statement. Balili River is not connected to the farm, he said.
Olsim stressed that in the spirit of the BLISTT concept where the LGUs of each municipality including Baguio are supposedly cooperating with each other to promote the benefit of all, the officials should be careful in their comments. Olsim said that such statements will affect the strawberry industry. “As leaders of the BLIST community, we should consider how others will feel especially our neighbors because tourism has no boundaries,” he reminded them.
Most of the tourists who go to Baguio also go to La Trinidad strawberry farm for the strawberry picking and other attractions of Benguet.
 
Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN