BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong, along with the City Environment and Parks Management Office, inspected Burnham Lake this morning, August 18, as it nears its reopening on September 1, coinciding with the Baguio Day celebration.

Magalong closely examined the entire environment of the new rehabilitated lake, especially the new boats that will be used, which he aims to replace the old ones, to fully attract tourists.

CEPMO Head Rhena Diwas, meanwhile, clarified several points raised in reports and discussions on the rehabilitation of Burnham Lake, saying they welcome public opinion and constructive feedback to achieve the shared goal of restoring the health of the lake but it must be based on accurate information.

According to Diwas, the Burnham Lake rehabilitation project is worth about P100 million and not P400 million as claimed in some discussions.

He said that while the city knows that advanced technologies such as mechanical aeration and filtration systems can further improve water quality, the cost is beyond the city’s means.

He said, “These are desirable features, but they also require significant capital and long-term operating and maintenance costs that exceed the approved project budget.

He explained that one of the main causes of the lake’s water quality decline in recent years is the inflow of rainwater carrying silt, mud, and solid waste into the lake and this is addressed by the project.

“Dredging was canceled after technical studies indicated that it was not advisable. Instead, the project focused on rehabilitating the lake walls and installing barriers and improved drainage systems to prevent soil and silt from flowing into the lake during heavy rains.”

Now, even after heavy rains, we are noticing that the muddy runoff and debris are no longer flowing directly into the lake like they used to—a significant environmental improvement," Diwas explained.

He also said that Burnham Lake is not a stagnant body of water because the constant operation of hundreds of pedal boats helps promote water circulation and oxygen exchange even though it is not a replacement for dedicated aeration systems.

To further improve water quality, he said the city plans to introduce more species of aquatic animals that naturally eat algae. It also regularly applies environmentally-friendly biotechnology treatments every three months to help maintain clean water while remaining safe for aquatic life.

He said that environmental restoration is a long-term process that requires ongoing management, monitoring, and incremental improvements.

"Therefore, rehabilitation should not be considered the end of the process but rather an important step towards restoring the ecological health of Burnham Lake," he said.

Diwas also revealed that as part of the long-term water renewal strategy, the city will build an underground water impounding facility that will be connected to Burnham Lake.

He said the plan is part of the P30-million Burnham Skating Rink project which, although separate from the lake rehabilitation, forms part of the overall Burnham Park Master Development Plan.

"This shows that the City's approach goes beyond improving the appearance—it also considers the long-term environmental sustainability of the lake," Diwas said.