|
|
|
|
The city is naturally beautiful. Residents as well as visitors single out the temperate climate and the intrinsic beauty of the landscape as its major attractions. The city's population is however growing rapidly at an annual growth rate of 4.39 percent or an actual increment of about 7,897 individuals a year. This puts equal pressure on residential, commercial, institutional and infrastructure land use developments to expand proportionately. This is compounded by the inadequate exercise and lack of effective control on land development, thus the historic vocation of the city -- that of a mountain resort -- continues to be jeopardized. Attendant results of recent and ongoing developments in the city are rapid loss of open space, destruction of the natural environment, and scarring of the landscape. These have far-reaching effects on the city's economy, since tourism as a basic industry depends so much on the natural environment for its viability. Hazards to the safety of the residents as a result of hillside developments have also increased significantly. Certain basic causes can be identified, like the fast rate of population growth, the lack of consideration on the importance of site solution and design for residential developments, the general lack of understanding on vegetation, soil terrain, rocks, drainage channels and streams as natural resource with varying ecological, aesthetic conservation, and safety implications for urban developments, faulty land-use prescriptions and land utilization, and the outmost attempt to contain and control urban development. Deficiencies in existing land use controls are also contributory in no small way to the haphazard development of the city. Mention has to be made of the lack and inadequacy of legal advises, regulatory measures and development controls to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty of the area at the same time ensuring public safety and maximizing environmental quality. The timid exercise and enforcement of whatever existing environmental controls there are should also be noted. Appropriate land use controls and their enforcement are thus essential in preserving and enhancing the environmental quality of the area, boosting tourism in the city, and ensuring public safety. Environmental quality in the city is confronted with the problems on squatting on watersheds. Denudation of forests and de-vegetation due to illegal cutting of trees, improper gardening/kaingin and forest fires are among other problems that affect the city's environment. These continue to threaten the quantity and quality of our water. There is no widespread sewerage system. Current methods, mostly individual systems, cause ground water contamination, stream an creek pollution, and public health problems. While garbage collection and removal of solid wastes are generally good, there are areas in the city where there are little or no services available. The use of open dumping and burning as a means of waste disposal pose hazards upon nearby residents due to odor and smoke. Leachate produced by decomposing garbage is also polluting the water sources of low lying communities in its vicinity.
|
|
Send mail to juquiana-dba-cpa@skyinet.net with
questions or comments about this web site.
|