Opening of Children’s Playground requested

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, in her resolution approved by the Baguio City Council last Monday, called for the opening of the children’s playground.

Should the request be approved, it should be subject to the guidelines to be imposed by the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) in accordance with the executive order issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and the resolution issued by the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF).

According to the IATF guidelines for places on Alert Level 2 status, visit or tourist attractions such as libraries, archives, museums, galleries, exhibits, parks, plazas, public gardens, scenic viewpoints or overlooks, and the like shall be allowed to operate at a maximum of 50% indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and those below 18 years of age even if unvaccinated, and 70% outdoor venue capacity. Provided that all workers/employees of these establishments are fully vaccinated and that there is no objection from the concerned local government unit.

Executive Order No. 22, Series of 2022 issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong likewise states that museums and cultural centers, libraries and archives, and other tourist attractions may operate at a maximum of 50% indoor accommodation capacity for fully vaxxed while 70% capacity in outdoor areas.

The children’s playground is located at Burnham Park. It has been closed since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

According to Tabanda, it is a place for people, young and old alike, to relax and enjoy nature, and engage in physical and social activities. Likewise, it is where children in the city express themselves in an environment that freely allows physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development.

The councilor said all these experiences were denied to children when the children’s playground closed.

She claimed that the present state of the city where infections are low and where the target population responds favorably to the city government’s COVID-19 vaccination program warrants the opening of the children’s playground so that children will again experience the joys of childhood.

The resolution has been transmitted to the City Mayor’s Office to be signed by the chief executive. -Jordan G. Habbiling