BAGUIO CITY — SM City Baguio will plant more than 50,000 assorted trees across the Summer Capital to signal the start of the greening campaign in the Cordilleras.

In Monday’s public hearing called by the city council, Ben Mateo, SM vice president for operations, said more than P1 billion of the budget for mall expansion will be devoted to environmental protection, water conservation, air pollution mitigation, traffic management and parking solutions.

The enlarged mall aims to add over 2,000 jobs and more income to the city government.

“We share the commitment of helping regreen the city through our own little contributions that will help expand the green cover of the city,” Mateo said, noting that since 2005, SM had planted over 6,000 trees in various parks and watersheds.

According to him, the 7-storey green building will have its own canopy of trees and flowering plants along with retail, dining and commercial stalls as well as parking spaces for at least 1,500 vehicles.

Mateo told city officials and other stakeholders a rain catchment is designed for 6.9 cubic meters of water to be recycled for watering, cleaning and other maintenance chores.

Engr. Oscar Flores, City Building Official, said the permits have been issued along with the Environmental Compliance Certificate, clearance to use a portion of the city’s road-right-of-way, and proof of ownership of the property based on an absolute deed of sale signed by the national government and the SM Development Corp..

Supt. James Allan Logan, city traffic chief, commended the parking system in corporated in the green building design to ease congestion and vehicular flow.

Instead of merely replacing the trees that would give way to the expansion, SM was committing more than 50,000 trees to help restore the forest cover of the region moving from administrative status toward full-fledged autonomy.