THE BAGUIO City government has started issuing demolition notices to owners of about 200 structures built within the 150-meter buffer zone of the Loakan Airport, which is being readied for commercial operations. Stephen A. Capuyan, head of the City Buildings and Architecture Office’s (CBAO) investigation and demolition division, said an initial 110 notices were sent out last week, giving owners seven days to voluntarily demolish their structures or show proof of ownership that will be subject to legitimacy proceedings. “Structures that do not have the legitimate documents will surely be the first ones to be demolished while those individuals that are able to present titles of their properties will be subjected to the required hearings by the city anti-squatting and illegal structures committee to ascertain the legitimacy of their ownership of their properties,” Mr. Capuyan said in a statement Friday. The buffer zone was declared by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), which operates the airport that is currently open for chartered and military flights. The city government has asked CAAP and the Department of Transportation (DoTR) for the takeover of the facility’s management, which is being eyed to be contracted to a private firm. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong already had initial talks with San Miguel Corp. for the proposed venture.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR