The City Demolition Team and City Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures (Basis) demolished on April 13 three structures built within the Teachers’ Camp reservation without the requisite building permit and consent to construct.
The City Buildings and Architecture Office through the City Demolition Team led by Engr. Donald Gas-ib implemented Demolition Order 4, s. 2022 issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong based on the complaints of the National Housing Authority.
The NHA is the administrator of Proclamation 613, s. 2004 which segregated and reserved 3.4 hectares of land within the Teachers’ Camp reservation for housing site purposes and for disposition to qualified beneficiaries.
The issue dates back in 2016 when NHA Region 1 and Cordillera Manager Eduardo G. Leano requested the CBAO for the immediate inspection and issuance of demolition order to an ongoing construction within the proposed/identified access road of Proclamation 613.
Records of the Project Interagency Committee (PIAC) of the NHA show notices of violation have been issued to the owner of the structure for them to stop their ongoing construction.
Considering the investigation was conducted several years back, the Anti-Squatting and Anti-Illegal Structures Committee requested the CBAO to conduct re-investigation on the structures within the proclamation to have an updated report as to the identity of the owners and the dimension of the structures and materials used.
On Oct. 19, 2021, the CBAO submitted a memorandum containing the result of the re-investigation revealing 11 structures within Proclamation 613 of NHA while the rest of the structures are within Proclamation 290 under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education particularly Teachers’ Camp Administration.
Four structures within Proclamation 613 are the priority concern of NHA described as follows:
One-story residential structure made of reinforced concrete, concrete hollow block and galvanized iron sheets with approximate measurements of eight by eight meters in footprint area, allegedly constructed sometime in 2012;
One unit comfort room made of wood, concrete hollow block and galvanized iron sheet with approximate measurements of 2.5m by 1.5m in footprint area, allegedly constructed sometime in 2016;
An unfinished one-story residential house made of reinforced concrete with approximate measurements of 9m by 6m in footprint area; and
One-story shanty made of wood and galvanized iron sheet with approximate dimension of 5m by 3m footprint area, allegedly constructed sometime in 2010.
Per certification issued by CBAO dated Oct. 18, 2021, no building permit was issued to the owners of the structures resulting in the issuance of notices of violation and the committee reiterated voluntary demolition.
However, only the owner of the shanty voluntarily demolished their structure as of December 2021.
On Dec. 2, 2021, one of the respondents requested the NHA if it is possible for the government to sell to the former that portion of the lot that they have occupied.
But the representatives of NHA answered in the negative since this would be a direct violation of Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act of 1992.
Also under the Policy Guidelines on Beneficiary Selection and Disposition of Homelots adopted by the PIAC, all the three structure owners are not actual occupants within the Baguio Teachers Camp reservation.
The city government will implement an aggressive operation for the demolition of illegal structures within reservations as well as stoppage of ongoing constructions without building permits. – Jessa Mardy P. Samidan
April 18, 2024
