Baguio to collect tourist fees

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The country's so-called Summer Capital would soon collect fees from tourists for the use of the city's environment and natural resources.

Baguio City councilors Maria Mylen Yaranon and Joel Alangsab proposed an Environmental User's Fee (EUF) system that could impact environmental management, development, and remediation.
 
“The increase of tourism and economic activities within the City of Baguio has intensified the risk of environmental degradation, destruction of our ecosystem, and an increase in land, air, and water pollution,” the ordinance stated.
 
Yaranon and Alangsab added that the proposed EUF will regulate the use of the city’s resources and will reduce pollution in many areas. The collected fees will defray the costs for waste management and environmental programs in the city.
 
Once approved, tourists will be required to pay P75 per head for their stay in identified sites/tourist destinations to be collected by authorized personnel. The city treasurer will be the principal collecting officer assisted by a collecting agent who will be appointed by the mayor.
 
The collected fees will go to the city’s general funds.

Under the ordinance, the city council will be tasked to periodically review the EUF system being guided by a study of technical information “in order to rationalize the rate of fees to be collected.” 

The proposal also introduces an incentive scheme where 10% of the net collection will be allocated to all the barangays. 

From the 10%, the 40% will be given to the host barangay where the tourist destination/site is located while the remaining 60% will be divided equally for all component barangays of the city. 

The barangays should allocate their EUF shares for their solid waste management and environmental programs in line with the solid waste and environmental management plan of the city.
 
Baguio residents will be exempted from paying EUF as long as they show proof of residency such as passport, community tax certificate, or voter’s ID, among others. Children below 7 years of age will also be exempted. 

Tourists who are persons with disability and senior citizens with ID’s will be entitled to 20% discount.

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