Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Wednesday, Nov. 9, shut down the Igorot Stone Kingdom on Long-long Road in Pinsao over permit and safety violations.
In a press statement, Magalong said the man-made tourist attraction had been operating without a business permit.
The tourist site's building permit, on the other hand, does not cover the stone structures which made authorities question the integrity of the construction.
The Baguio mayor said the recent assessment by Asian Development Bank and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) found that the structure is in a “very high landslide exposure.”
The Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR) has also assessed the area and declared it as “prone to erosion”, he added.
Magalong said the local government needed to shut down the site since it poses potential danger due to the absence of an authorized certification.
“We have to be proactive. We can’t wait of something bad to happen before we act,” he said.
According to Magalong, the owner failed to comply with the requirements despite prior notice about the said violation being given to him.
The management also continued to build more structures despite the city government’s notice and the issued cease and desist orders.
The Baguio mayor said this prompted the City Buildings and Architecture Office to file a criminal case for violation of the National Building Code last Monday, Nov. 7.
