BAGUIO CITY – The City’s swimming pool located at the Baguio Athletic Bowl is set for

getting a rehabilitation.

The facelift is set to go full blast the soonest prompting Mayor Mauricio Domogan to order the
closure of the facility starting March 18.

The P43 million project which has been issued a notice to proceed last February 13 will cover
the installation of solar panel roofs; repair and rehabilitation of the building, covering
replacement of roof to extend to the bleachers area, enclosure of the structure and repainting of
the structural frames; construction of new shower and locker rooms; and retiling of the floor.

Domogan instructed Sports Development Officer III Gaudencio Gonzales to implement the
closure to ensure the safety of the public and to coordinate with the Department of Education
(DepEd) for the needed adjustments in the training of the athletes who will be affected.

Arch. II Edwin Ancheta of the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) said no
improvement works specifically for the swimming pools were included in the project, awarded to
RAJ Construction following the results of the bidding.

The project will pilot the solar panel technology which the city adopted in a bid to reduce the
city’s power consumption costs by serving as power source in lighting the structure and in
heating the Olympic-size swimming pools for trainings and various local, national, regional and
international sports competitions.

City Building Officer Engr. Nazita Banez earlier said the technology was found viable in the city
based on the feasibility studies done by the Department of Energy.

Banez said they expect to cut down energy consumption and the resulting electric bill of the
swimming pool by 50 percent while the return of investment is protracted in 13-15 years.

It is targeted for implementation at City Hall and at City Hall Annex.

Domogan said the project is in line with the City’s thrust to tap renewable energy for economic
and environmental benefits.

The mayor last year approved Ordinance No. 43 series of 2018 adopting the use of energy
conservation technologies and clean renewable energy in all of the City Government facilities
and projects.

The City Accounting Office, in its Summary Report of Benguet Electric Cooperative bills
payment for the year 2015, disclosed that the City paid ₱71,149,742.23 for its electric
consumption which can be reduced considerably with the use of these modern energy-saving
technologies.

By: Aileen P. Refuerzo

Banner photo: Eunice Ulat, then performing for Baguio, got a good vibes at the Baguio
Swimming Pool Complex as she clocked 5:44:81 in the 400 meter free style category of the 13-
16 year-old girls category during the 2016 CARAA to emerged the winner. The swimming
complex is set to get a facelift this year. File photo by Paul Rillorta

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