Mayor orders closure of Igorot Stone Kingdom over permit, safety issues

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong on Nov. 8, 2022 ordered the closure of the man-made tourist attraction Igorot Stone Kingdom along Long-long Road, Pinsao Proper due to permit and safety issues.

The Business Permits and Licensing Division padlocked the establishment on November 8 based on Administrative Order No. 0195, series of 2022 closing the amusement park until they have complied with the business permit requirements.

The mayor told the Management Committee meeting that the establishment is operating without a business permit while the stone structures inside are not covered by a building permit which puts the structural integrity of these constructions in question.

He said that the owner had earlier been notified of the permit violations and advised to comply with the requirements but had failed to do so.

Instead, the management ventured to build more structures against the advice of the city government and continued to defy cease and desist orders prompting the City Buildings and Architecture Office to file a criminal case for violation of the National Building Code on Nov. 7, 2022.

The mayor said the city needs to close it as a safety precaution since it is potentially dangerous due to lack of certificates ensuring safety of the structures.

“We have to be proactive.  We can’t wait for something bad to happen before we act,” he said.

Based on the ongoing Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) for Baguio City being conducted by the Asian Development Bank and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), it was found that the structure is in a “very high landslide exposure.

”The mayor said the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR) has also declared the area as “prone to erosion.”- PIO BAGUIO