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

Baguio City, Benguet – After finding out that Igorot Stone Kingdom is located in a “very high landslide exposure,” the closure of said tourist attraction was ordered Tuesday, November 8, by Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

The Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) currently being conducted in the city proved the claim while the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources both labeled the area as ‘prone to erosion.’

The City Information Office said apart from the safety concern, the man-made attraction was said to have been in the business without availing a business permit.

Mayor Magalong pointed this out during a management committee meeting, adding that ‘the stone structures inside are not covered by a building permit.’

This, he explained, calls into doubt the construction’s structural integrity.

According to the mayor, the owner has been told about this violation, but instead of complying, he continued building more structures, not minding the city government’s advice.

“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,” PIO Baguio wrote.

In a statement made by the mayor, the decision to shut down the operation of the Stone Kingdom is a safety precaution considering dangers that may arise as no certification has been made to prove the safety of the structures.

“We have to be proactive. We can’t wait of something bad to happen before we act,” Magalong stated.

As recalled, the Stone Kingdom started it operation sometime in June 2021 and was frequented by tourists since then.

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