Baguio Bulk Water & the UB Fire
A old friend of mine, Martin R., at a chance meeting in Camp John Hay a few years ago, once remarked that their company, Benguet Corporation, had a solution to the water shortage in Baguio City, but that the city was unwilling. He would not say why.
I asked him then where they would get the water, and he said that the dried up mines now serve as reservoirs so they did have the water and were hoping to put a pipeline to Baguio.
Last Sunday’s headlines at Midland, because they go to press early, was shouting, “BWD Board cancels bulk water contract with BC” instead of the much less prominent “UP prep, Dap-ayan building gutted in yesterday’s fire,” which was of course, THE BIG NEWS OF THE WEEK.
So I decided to look closer into the headline, in particular because ex-mayor Baraulio Yaranon was so glad the contract was canceled, saying that the deep wells remain a viable source of water for Baguio residents (Baguio’s population needs an estimated 100 cubic meters per day, while BWD can supply only 32,000. BC was to supply 50,000 in bulk water), that continuing reforestation was necessary replenish our water resources.
According to the report, BWD can actually supply 55,000 but there is a whopping 40% system loss (calculations mine), that they attribute to pipes. Maybe they should look into squatters tapping into the water pipes so the water is consumed and not charged to them, but charged instead to residents who have legal connections as system loss.
The reasons cited for the cancellation was because of current legal disputes concerning water rights involving the water sources that the BWD was not a party to, and also that the cost of the water being higher than what it currently charges the residents.
An engineer from BWD told me in 2005 that the average consumption per person was 1 cubic meter per day, so I find it funny that Baguio needs only 100,000. Our population is estimated at 300,000. At 32,000 BWD can only supply the requirements for 10% of the population, the approximate population size Baguio was originally designed for.
Baguio, which I mentioned in an earlier post, attracts about 40,000 students from the lowlands to live here year round, and an untold number of Korean students and whole families, really has a population problem that is natural resources cannot handle. There are a total of 140,000 students in Baguio, almost half the resident population.
I believe the population increases exponentially as graduates stay on to find jobs and build families here. Perhaps that’s why the city has been unwilling to conduct statistical surveys since the year 2000 as to how many are really living in Baguio.
It’s been mentioned many times before that it used to be that Baguio suffered a water shortage only when there was a massive influx of tourists on Holy Week and the Christmas break. Now it’s year-round. With an increase in the student population, of course Baguio has also been ‘importing’ teachers and their families from Pangasinan and other provinces who relocate here, and importing carinderia owners, too, etc.
With the schools addressing only the issue of additional classrooms, the rest of Baguio City has been working for the schools providing housing and meals, medical and social services, for the population surge that they have caused.
The rapid increase has not been regulated, and neither can we say that, when Baguio was rebuilding after the 1990 earthquake, the resident population could supply the demand for teachers or even eateries for the schools. At 140,000 students, that’s a lot of dishwashing (among other things) going on!
So when Baguio Vice-Mayor Daniel Farinas laments the fact that the Fire Department ran out of water to put out the fire caused by the school (University of Baguio) where he serves as Dean of the College of Law and also Chief of Legal Affairs, maybe he should look into why there is a water shortage in Baguio.
Ah, maybe they should have installed automatic sprinkler systems, too? Why the Fire Department did not require this of the relatively new multi-storey buildings that see thousands of occupants all day I do not understand.
I write this post to show you how seemingly unrelated headlines actually have a direct link to each other. How the political ties with the personal. How every little thing we do creates a rippling effect that can actually be the start of a tidal wave. Just as there is a strong bond between and among all those who live in Baguio.
This is why we have to work with each other in harmony, setting aside differences and selfish personal interests, and working for this one place we call home, beautiful Baguio City in the Philippines.
Ano? Sa dating mga minas nila kukunin ang tubig para sa Baguio?
You must be kidding,Mate. What about the residual chemicals they used to process the mined metals (or whatever).Remember what happened years ago when the ‘Kanos left Clark Airbase?
Maraming sakit ang napala ng ating mga kababayan doon.Same consequences apply.
Hi Ferdie,
I was thinking nga that this would have been the cause of the cancellation of the contract with Benguet Corp.
But upon reading the news item (am waiting for Midland to post Sunday’s news online — that’s why I cannot link it up yet), it’s a matter of price and water rights. So maybe Benguet Corp has found other sources of water.
Maybe Baguio City, since it seems to enjoy this population size (by not doing anything about controlling it), should look into creating its own reservoirs to catch so much rainfall that we waste, at its own expense instead of planning other flyovers and parking buildings, and as a service that we will pay for anyway.
Imagine how rich the city would be if it undertook the business of selling its residents free, God-given water? For water is LIFE.
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Another point would be that citizens should read the news and be vigilant at all times, otherwise these things might pass unnoticed and unopposed. I used to buy Midland only for the classifieds, like the majority of residents. But I find that all the ‘Notices to Bid’ in relation to news items are very important so that we know what’s going on that will directly affect us. It will also help public servants behave as such, you know, serving the public…
I agree with you Lis. Pwede naman sigurong gawing interconnected ang mga reservoirs by channeling those funds to construct pipelines between them. I think the authorities should always realize that water is life. Aanhin mo ang mga Flyovers at parking buildings kung wala namang potable water.
Buti naman at nahanap ko ang site na ito. Keep up the good work!
And you, Ferdie, and other commenters like you inspire me…
Camp John Hay doesn’t seem to have a water problem. You should see the way they water the golf course.
despite baguio’s elevation and forest denudation, it doesn’t and never had a water problem. the problem is efficient water distribution which the gallon, drum and tanker retailers seem to be exploiting to its fullest. is someone making a killing from this situation that’s why it never improved?
lisa, you are correct, baguio is blessed year after year with abundant water but no one manages to contain it. in one desolate village somewhere in africa, they carved a basin in the rocky mountain to collect the little annual rainfall they get and survive on this for the rest of the year. in baguio, water is collected at the city camp lagoon…but what do we do? we drill a hole to let it run off…then complain of water shortage.
and yes padma, john hay got it all figured out.
the water is there. it has always been there but the bwd cannot seem to figure out what it takes to deliver the service required of them. and when you give them ideas…they say you’re crazy…well, so were all the great inventors and pioneers. thank god for crazy people. or…never mind. basta. secret.
water is becoming a problem in Baguio City. I remember when we where growing up, we didn’t have to pay to get water. Water was plenty. But as Baguio’s population grows, water is depleted. where once trees stood strong and firm now houses made of concrete and steel.
Now, we have to pay to get water delivered to our house. We have to pay to have drinking water.
We need to make a stand to preserve our watersheds and rid them of all illegal occupants.
Baguio needs clean water.
Just wish BWD would prepare for Panagbenga as it does for Holy Week. Right now, water supply is so inadequate in T. Alonzo St.
Mike, I wonder why most government officials in Baguio are like that, you suggest somethin they will think you are crazy. They only care about what they know.
It is very frustrating how problems about water supply affects our lives. When I was still there, kahit may pera ka pambili ng tubig, you have to line up the queue and more often than not, sa makalawa ka pa madedeliver-an. So you’ll have to use mineral water for taking a bath, flushing the toilet, washing the dishes.. Whew! Tapos kung ano ano ang naiisip na ipatupad or ipagawa. I-ban ang motorcycles, carpark, flyovers.
..tubeg muna meyor.. saka na muna yan..
Hi Padma,
I believe Camp John Hay has its own water source. In fact, many Baguio residents have dug their own deep wells because the city water distribution system fails to address the needs of all the residents. But it looks like the city is wanting to tax those who have their own water sources.
Hello Mike,
Yup, well-intentioned folk who propose solutions are always labeled crazy, especially by those whose fortunes rely on depriving the rest of their countrymen of God-given natural resources which He must have meant for everyone to enjoy.
Funny how we have mining rights, water rights …
Right on, hv2l!
For as long as Baguio residents accept the situation as normal, and until we decide to take a stand that we have a right to water, this situation will continue.
Hay naku Resty,
When I was living in Quezon Hill and I would get billed Php200 for water, I would actually freak! Because that meant I was getting next to nothing via the pipes. I used to complain that my taxi fare and the lining up to pay the bill was not worth it. We gathered rain water instead!
Jay-R, I agree.
The city should concentrate on the basic services first — light, water, cleanliness, garbage collection, peace and order, clean air. Politicians tend to complicate life by coming up with arbitrary plans that serve only their personal interests.
The proliferation of watered bottles and so called “mineral” water outlets in Baguio and all over the country is a glaring example of government’s failure to provide basic services. This service should never have been passed on to the private sector. Bottled water is meant to be a convenience > not a substitute for potable water. The least government can do is to set up and “attempt” to operate “mineral” water outlets in baranggays and provide drinking water for its constituents if they can’t handle the operation of potable tap water like they used to in the 1950-1960’s and currently in other parts of the world. This Filipino attitude of “ganyan talaga yan” must come to a stop. There is a way…a crazy way…as more advanced and disciplined countries have shown. All these “sane” ideas vs crazy ideas are simply meant to line the pockets of lazy and vested interests. And this doesn’t apply to water alone…there is mass transit, parks, ambulant vendors, zoning, health, education, peace and order, etc, etc, etc. The Baguio problem seems to have outgrown the minds of it’s caretakers that’s why they say “kasta talaga dayta…awan ti maaramid ta”…maaramid mo siguro. Perhaps a PAGASA workshop will help broaden their mindset and give them the trust and confidence that crazy ideas do work. Hehehe.
Hi Mike, we have great news for you. The one I stopped calling “I—-” has agreed to attend the 2nd Workshop, through the wonderful efforts of MAB. May PAGASA na naman ang Baguio!
exactly lisa. by the time their flyovers and carpark is done, the budget allocation is reached.. what do we have left for the projects worth prioritizing? wala na. sasabihin ganun nga, “kasta talaga dayta.”. tapos election ulit. tapos “kapag ako ang manalo..,”.. haayy.., nakakalungkot talaga.
Jay-R, it’s the arrogance of ‘power.’ Siempre, big fish in little pond. So unimpressive no?
Isn’t it ironic that mostly the unscrupulous and selfish get elected to ’serve’? Or that truly decent and competent folk refuse to enter that arena which the sharks dominate.
But that’s our collective fault though because we have given them that power through our apathy. We’re hoping to change that. The Filipino is waking up, Baguio folk will wake up to find that enough is enough.
WE WANT WATER! WE WANT CLEAN AIR! WE WANT PEACE & ORDER! WE DO NOT WANT FLYOVERS!
Well, notice those officials running for a certain position. On the card, it says..Vote Me! Atty. Me , Ph D MBA CPA MD and what nots.. almost all letters are there already with freakin job experiences and achievements. Funny, Hahaha. The reason why they win most of the time is quite alarming. Meaning there are lesser smart people in Baguio than the otherwise. Thinking that this guy will perform well because he seems to know a lot! But later on will we find out he’s more of a headache than a public servant. Thinking that a motorcycle causes traffic and pollution rather than those smoke belching PUV’s! Thinking that a flyover is the most important project Baguio City cannot afford to lose. He dont want to listen to “crazy” people because he almost got all the letters of the alphabet dangling by his name, ego ladies and gentlemen, why would he listen to you, who are you and what have you got? He is on the position thank you very much for your vote.
There is one thing that is very essential yet cannot be found in your Law Books or whatever books mga iho.. COMMON SENSE! We dont need lawyers, economist, deans, engineers, cpa’s or what nots in here..We need someone who has a COMMON SENSE and the HEART that can symphatize what the people really needed.
Lisa, the post mentioned that the sprinkler system in the AMS and FB towers of the University of Baguio we’re not automated.
I beg to disagree. Trust me, they we’re not even functional! Plus, not a sign of a single smoke detector!
Just like the Panagbenga… it’s all for show.
Oh yes, Jay-R!
Common sense and HEART win every time! And the call for a moral leadership is growing loud in the Philippines, finally.
We need people who love people, people who love Baguio, people who lead decent unselfish lives to run Baguio. Not them.
Darn it, Gomi!
And the Fire Department was quick (Feb 19, 2008) to pronounce that UB met all their safety standards! This should get the people of Baguio thinking, huh?
Lisa, if Baguio Fire Department said that UB met all their fire safety standards indeed, that’s serious! Everybody should be very careful entering establishments and buildings that they claim safe also!
How can we have proper water supply when our politicos approve of buildings that are standing on places where underground water flows? Of course, ang makikinabang nun yung establishments lang.
Buti nalang may capitalista, kundi baka patay na tayo sa dehydration(dahil sa inefficiency ng government na magbigay ng BASIC services at katigasan ng ulo ng mga tao. Sabing isara ang gripo kapag di ginagamit, hala….
Hi Jay-R,
That’s what’s actually ‘wonderful’ about having a massive fire where no life was claimed — it can actually jolt every Baguio resident into thinking about his family’s safety, not just in UB, but in other schools, businesses and homes as well. And we start moving for a better Baguio, one that is safe, less congested, more graceful.
The whole of Baguio should be on fire — with the quest for better services, with safety concerns. With better governance.
If the mayor cannot make his buildings safe, how can he make the whole of Baguio safe?
Hay Janice,
Apparently in Baguio there’s water everywhere, falling from the skies, flowing underground. Everywhere but in our pipes.
You’re right, and before they politicians attend to more construction, they should maybe go back to basics: water, electricity, safety.
That is what they were elected for — not to masquerade as urban planners when they are so apparently unqualified. And worse yet, with greed evident in all their words and actions.
hi lisa, i don’t think bwd prepared for this year’s holy week as it did the previous years. water pressure remained the same, weak.
Hi Resty,
And to think Baguio did not seem to have as many visitors this Holy Week as it did in previous years. We really have to work on the water distribution system. It’s not like Baguio does not have a lot of water — we just waste what we have.
Lisa, if Baguio did not have that many visitors this Holy Week, perhaps it’s because there are other places that have been developed to cater to local and foreign tourists such as Boracay, Puerto Galera, Tagaytay, Subic and other places up north. It’s fine with me so Baguio doesn’t get crowded too much.
Resty,
Wouldn’t it be much nicer if Baguio were crowded (and experienced a water shortage) only during holidays and for short periods of time?
Your Baguio is crowded, noisy and polluted EVERY SINGLE DAY!
At least the tourists spend and then LEAVE — unlike the 50,000 tourist-students, who end up living here after graduation, who STAY, whose children WE have to send to school.
Visitors cost less while encouraging migration to our city, without being prepared to provide BASIC needs for all residents is simply insane.
Look how ugly Baguio has become, when we started insisting on the diploma mill drama!
Well Lisa, if you like it that way. But I benefit more from the tourist-students than with the visitors.
Dear Resty, your location will always benefit from the students… It would be nice if we could make sure they stay tourist-students and not unemployed permanent residents, or spray paint toting juveniles.
plant and save the trees , forests, that is your only last hope Baguio