BAGUIO City Councilor Elmer Datuin said rehabilitation of the city must start with Burnham Park.
Datuin, who heads the committee on tourism, said the park must be improved. He noted that the national government has not given the city the agreed subsidy for many years.
"I hope that they will give a one-time-big-time funding for the upgrading of Burnham Park and other parks if possible," he added.
Datuin said a rehabilitation of the city is a welcome development as he dispelled false news of closure of the city.
The city official added the city also does not have a grossly neglected environment problem but welcomes the possibility that the national government will pour more funds for the development of Baguio.
"It's about time that the national government infra spending be diverted and prioritize in Baguio and the Cordilleras because most of our tourism development funds are given in the Visayas area," he said.
Councilor Mylen Yaranon has also called on the local government to look at the carrying capacity of the city in terms of population to make the necessary studies on development and how it would be planned and managed.
Yaranon said based on the latest study conducted by the National Economic and Development Authority in Cordillera, the maximum carrying capacity of the city has reached 600,000 as compared to the present day time population of 450,000 to 500,000.
The Summer Capital recorded tourist arrivals of 1.52 million in 2017, 17.52 percent higher than the 2016 data of 1.294 million domestic and foreign tourists.
The 2017 figure surpassed the national projection of the Department of Tourism (DOT) of 1.359 million.
