Bomogao clarifies proposed entrance fee ordinance

City Government of Baguio clarified on Thursday that the payments being collected in Baguio tourist spots were not in line with the newly proposed ordinance of charging environmental fees, but rather, a mandate of the City Ordinance No. 18 series of 2016 or the City Environmental Code.

Councilor Benny Bomogao, the chairperson and main proponent of the environmental fee proposal, stated that the proposition was still in the process and had only passed the 1st reading. Thus, it cannot be the basis of any monetary collection. He also added that the proposal still must go through various discussions, revisions, and scrutiny from the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), City Council, and other departments before it is officially approved.

“These ordinances [there are 3 of them] were referred to the City Environmental Office for the office to make a study and consolidation, to make a recommendation on these three versions of environmental fees. After that, the CEPMO will recommend its version to the city council, and the city council will again discuss it, make revisions if there are revisions, and will be subject for approval as an ordinance,” explained Bomogao.

Comments and recommendations from other departments such as the City Treasurer Office (CTO) and City Tourism are also being awaited. The CTO will play vital roles in the collection of fees and in the process of ensuring that the hotels, inns, and the likes are remitting the collected fees. There will also be a public consultation about the proposed ordinance before filing the final draft.

The proposal was crafted by the City Government Councillor Benny O. Bomogao together with the members of the committee Councillors Joel A. Alangsab, chairperson of the Committee on Health and Sanitation, Ecology and Environmental Protection, and Arthur Allad-iw.

ORDINANCE’S PREMISES

The proposed City Ordinance is said to charge environmental fees for guests, tourists, hotels, inns, transient or lodging houses that are within the city.

For hotels, inns, and the likes the charge will be dependent on the room occupancy. A five-room transient house will be charged with 1,000 pesos yearly; 2,000 pesos for not more than ten rooms; 5,000 pesos for 20 rooms or less; 7,000 pesos for not more than 30 rooms; 10,000 pesos for 50 rooms or less; and 20,000 pesos for establishments with no more than 80 rooms. The guests will be charged 100 pesos per head.

Parks will also be charged. According to documents, the Botanical Garden and Mines View Park will be charged 50 pesos per visitor. Fees for other parks, which are to be developed, will be identified until the final proposal.

However, Bomogao also reminded that not every park inside the city will collect entrance fees. Burnham Park being the center park will be exempted, and this is also the same for parks who have multiple entrances.

Children below 12 years old, students on an educational trip, and persons with disabilities are also excluded from paying. Likewise, a 20-peso discount will be given for ages 13 to 21 years old, students, and senior citizens.

According to Joel Alangsab, the proposal aims to ensure sustainable tourism in the city, and for the maintenance and rehabilitation of tourist destinations. The collected fees will be used to improve the quality of parks and amenities, and for the development of better proper waste management.

OTHER PROPOSALS

There are similar proposals forwarded by other councilors of the city. One came from the Committee of Public Utilities, Transportation and Traffic Legislation with Councilors Joel Alangsab and Arthur Alad-iw as the members. Another was filed by Councillors Maria Mylen Victoria Yaranon and Joel Alangsab, while another proposal came from Councillor Ellaine Zembrano.

The proposals were directed to the City Environmental Office for further study and consolidation. Councillor Alangsab believes that through consolidation they will be able to guarantee the comprehensiveness of the final proposal.

“I’ve been the chairperson for the committee on environment, I told them that we have to consolidate all the proposals… So that when we will come up with an ordinance, it should be comprehensive, meaning, all-encompassing, meaning, we have to take into consideration the suggestions of all the offices involved,” said Alangsab.

Alangsab also emphasized on the importance of opinion and suggestions coming from different offices. Likewise, he encouraged people to give comments to gain substantial ideas that could help improve the final draft.

“So, we'll be inviting people, you can come and share, and give comments, baka mas maganda yung idea ninyo. That for sure, we'll consider,” voiced Alangsab.

(So, we'll be inviting people, you can come and share, and give comments. You might have better ideas. That for sure, we’ll consider)

CONSEQUENCES

According to Councilor Alangsab, when the proposed ordinance is approved, the collected fees might increase in price; this could result in negative and positive reactions from the people. Alangsab also believed that tourists should also be liable to pay entrance fees, especially because they also leave their garbage behind during their visits.

However, Alangsab is also confident that there will be no decline in the tourism of the city. As he explained the collected fees will be used to beautify the destinations—and the more developed the place is the more it will become attractive to tourists.

“Ang intent kasi natin with the environmental fee that they will be paying, the more that we will clean baguio, the more that we would beautify the places, to make it more attractive to them. So, in short, ibabalik po natin yung sinisingil natin sa kanila, para mapaligaya din sila, magiging maligaya din sila,” said Alangsab.

(Our intention with the environmental fee that they will be paying—the more we will clean Baguio, the more we would beautify the place, the more it will be attractive to them (tourists). So, in short, we will also give back what they have given to us. We are doing this for their happiness.)

FEEDBACKS

The proposed ordinance has garnered mixed reactions from tourists and locals regarding the entrance fees. Some approve of the fees as they think that the collected entrance money will be of good help to the maintenance and betterment of the city.

“Para sa akin, kung maa-approve siya, siyempre oo. Bakit pa naman ako aangal ‘di ba? Kasi makakatulong din naman sa atin yun… So, para sa akin, as a vendor dito sa Mines View approve ako, kasi para din naman sa atin yun e. Tapos kung kaya ng mga turista, yung mga turista nga di ba kaya nga nilang gumastos ng malaki, yung pang-entrance fee pa kaya,” said Lulu Mangdiman, a vendor in Mines View Park.

(For me, if it’s approved then, then I’ll support it. Why would I even object? It will help us. So, as a vendor here in Mines View, I will approve of it as it will also help us. Tourists can spend so much, why should they not pay for an entrance fee, right?)

Contrary to this, others believe everyone should be able to enjoy the parks and other tourist destinations without the thought of paying. They also stated that the collection of the entrance fee will hinder poor people from enjoying the place.

“Hindi kasi dapat ano… walang entrance fee para makapasok lahat. Kasi paano kung yung mga ibang ano walang mga pera hindi makakapasok. Para makita, makita ng lahat ng mga tao yung mga ano dito, tourist spot na andito ,” said Gellie Q. Dela Rosa, a tourist.

(There should not be an entrance fee… for everyone to see [the tourist spot]. How about those who do not have enough money, they would be able to get in and see the tourist spot.)

By: Agatha Mateo