Project Puraw | Mitigating Baguio’s Climate Change

The recent culmination of Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City sees another blossoming success in Project Puraw. It is a community effort that springs hope to mitigate the impact of climate change through green urban renewals.

Project Puraw or white in the local language, brings together the various sectors of the government, private sector, organizations & local communities by painting all the roofs on Quirino Hill in white. And the simple science behind the color is to reduce the heat island effect that is felt in the City of Pines.

Project Puraw greens Baguio with white!

Yes, Baguio City is feeling the heat too! With temperatures rising close to 30° over the recent years, this clearly signals the change in the cold weather that we love most about this highland destination.

The city has been surveyed to be among the places in the country that is vulnerable to the ill effects of climate change. This alteration is driven by the inevitable consequences of its rapid development, population boom & many other universal factors.

DOT-CAR Regional Director Venus Tan in her speech with (L-R) DENR-CAR Director Ralph Pablo, Congressman Mark Go, Tourism Undersecretary Alma Rita Jimenez, Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Boysen VP-Marketing Ruben Cueto

Heeding to the immediate call for help, the Department of Tourism-Cordillera led by its Regional Director Marie Venus Q. Tan, initiated the creation of this laudable project.

It is a herculean task involving lengthy community consultations and fund sourcing. But with its noble cause, it gained the support of the LGU, DENR and Boysen Paints. Last February 25, the project was finally signed-off with all of its stakeholders in cheering presence.

The narrow-compact houses on Quirino Hill, Baguio City.

Quirino Hill was chosen being one of the densest communities in Baguio with thousands of houses closely decked all around it. Composed of several barangays, its packed landscape is prominently visible around the city.

Unlike Stobosa in La Trinidad that comes in sprays of sunshine palettes, Quirino Hill will be in dainty earth colors. All roofs will be painted in white. And each resident is given the choice to coat the rest of the house in shades of beige & light brown.

Aside from white repels about 85% of light, the gradated color scheme when viewed collectively evokes lighter and cooler aesthetic effects associated with mountaintop resorts.

The huge image of “lingling-o”, the Cordilleran symbol for fertility, abundance & pride will also be painted accenting the white-capped hill.

Artist perspective of Quirino Hill when completed. Photo by DOT-CAR.

Project Puraw is a component of DOT-CAR’s “Rev-Bloom!”, a campaign anchored on sustainable tourism in Baguio City and its nearby towns.

Rev-Bloom! aims to REV-UP the re-greening and re-blooming of its environs, REVIVE Baguio as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, REVISIT its deep art, culture & history and to REVITALIZE multi-sectoral synergies in building sustainable projects.

(L-R) Boysen VP-Marketing Ruben Cueto, Congressman Mark Go & Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan in their ceremonial painting of white roofs on Quirino Hill.

While Project Puraw is not poised mainly as a tourism attraction, it will certainly drive visitors because of its unique look and vibe. And if it were to become a magnet for tourists, Quirino Hill will be a model community that addresses the call for climate change mitigation and adaptation. It will showcase collective volunteerism and conscientious urban renewal.

Last March 1, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte finally signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, a global compact that aims to keep the temperature increase to “well below” 2° Celsius. And Project Puraw couldn’t be more perfect in its timing than rolling it in just when it’s most needed.

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Project Puraw is open to receive volunteers, donations & any support to make this project a success. For more details, contact the Department of Tourism – Cordillera Region. Just click on the link.

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