Construction of Annex and Main Building Renovation
SM City Baguio is slated to construct the new annex and is scheduled for completion by 4Q 2012 or 2013 which is located at the western side of the mall., and also the Main Bldg. will be started to renovate, expand and scheduled to be completed by 2012 or 2013.
However, in January 20, 2012, the 5,000+ strong people and residents of Baguio started a protest march against the planned expansion of SM. Ironically, the SM SUPERMALL also held a meeting with the Baguio Re-greening Movement which resulted to the non-endorsement of the BRM of their expansion plans.
Since then, up to the present, a series of mass actions have been done by the residents of Baguio to show their disapproval to the utter disregard of SM SUPERMALL to the cultural and historical heritage of Luneta Hill.
And to show that Baguio people can stand on with their fight to save the trees and environment of Baguio, several groups of Baguio City residents filed several environmental cases against SM, DENR, DPWH and even the LGU that has prospered to the court trial. The plan to expand and construct a new mall on the Luneta Hill has been stopped.
In blatant disregard for the law, SM went ahead to cut and transfer some 49 trees in the appointed lot on the nights of April 9 and 10, 2012 that cause the Project Save 182 (PS 182) movement to pray for the release of the Temporary Environment Protection Order (TEPO) in court.
Upon the intervention and instruction of the President Benigno S. Aquino, Secretary Robredo of DILG convened a meeting at Camp Crame, Quezon City with the opposition in attendance. The only good result result of this meeting was the consensus of an ocular inspection of the trees on Luneta Hill.
On April 18, 2012 Project Save 182 saw that 15 more of the naturally grown Benguet Pine Trees were haphazardly "balled" despite the TEPO still in full force. And once again, as in the first two nights of April 9 and 10, there were no DENR personnel to oversee the killing of the trees.
The ultimate prayer that the Temporary Environment Protection Order (TEPO) which was given on April 10, 2012 be a permanent one in the near future is the fervent desire of the people of Baguio.
With a battle cry "We need the trees, not a bigger mall!", PS 182 now pursues a boycott of the SM City in Baguio.
The Manila Standard published an article on December 15, 2012: "The regional trial court here dismissed two cases filed by the Cordillera Global Network involving Environment Secretary Ramon Paje Jr., Mayor Mauricio Domogan and SM retail giant and lifted the Temporary Environment Protection Order against the mall’s P1.2-billion expansion.
"In a decision dated Dec. 3, 2012, Branch Judge Antonio Esteves found no irregularity in the issuance of the amended Environmental Compliance Certificate, tree cutting and earthballing permits, building permit and zoning clearance.
"Lawyer Chryse Bautista, SM City Baguio counsel, welcomed the decision, noting that SM management would always abide by the law and guided by the authority of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other agencies."
Project Save 192 with the people of Baguio City has brought the case to the Court of Appeals.
Read more about this topic: SM City Baguio
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