BAGUIO CITY

Baguio officials divided on merger of barangays
BY AILEEN P. REFUERZO

BAGUIO CITY – Barangay officials appear divided on the planned merger of the barangays despite a council session last week to thresh out the issue.

Barangay heads voiced out dissenting opinions on the proposed rationalization, which would reduce the number of barangays from the present 129 to just 47.

The council called for a single-agenda session to thresh out issues and to consult with barangay officials and concerned agencies like the Commission on Elections, the Dept. of Interior and Local Government and the Dept. of Budget and Management to help the body decide on the proposed merger, in time for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 29.

Barangay officials who spoke for the merger cited the benefits of having lower number of barangays in terms of administrative and funding aspects.

Punong barangay Editha Ibarra of Middle Quezon Hill said the merger would lead to the professionalization of the service and standardization of salaries of barangay heads and councils which will redound to benefits for the constituents.

She said the reduced number of barangays would also make it easier to manage on the part of the city government apart from the fact that it would in effect help the city comply with the requirements of the Local Government Code on the set up of the barangays.

On the other hand, those opposed to the idea cited concerns on the chances of smaller barangays to get a seat in the barangay councils and to get a share from the budgets should the merger be pursued. They also aired concern on the bigger responsibility that the merger would entail on the barangay officials.

Stressing that the consultation would continue until all questions have been answered, the body then asked the barangay councils to conduct their own consultations on the issue in their respective barangays and to submit a position paper based on the outcome of their consultations.

If the merger would be approved, a plebiscite will be held before the elections to determine if the merger would be acceptable to the barangays.

During the session, the body was also able to clarify some issues with the Comelec, DILG and the DBM.

Issues on the funding requirements and on the protracted salaries of the winning barangay officials were cleared.

As to the fate of barangays which will reject the merger, lawyer Tomas Kiwang Jr. of the DILG explained that barangay clusters which will vote for yes will be merged and whose which will vote no will remain in a status quo. Should a majority of the barangays in one cluster vote yes, barangays that will vote no if included in the same cluster would automatically be included in the merger regardless of its no vote.

The body said further consultations will be conducted on more issues.

The aldermen agreed to inquire on the following:

For Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos, the body sought to inquire on whether or not it is allowed that the city ordinance on merging shall have a transitory provision that in the first election after the plebiscite, the Sangguniang Barangay members to be elected shall be proportionate to the population of the barangays prior to the merging. “Can the ordinance on barangay merging have a transitory provision that in the first election after the plebiscite, each barangay of a cluster should have a member or members in the SB (of the clustered barangay) proportionate to the population of each barangay prior to the merging?”

The same query will be posed to DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno in addition to clarification on whether or not the punong barangays and barangay officials who run and won in the previous barangay elections for three consecutive terms are prohibited from running in the 2007 barangay election; and what effect of the merger of the barangays on the eligibility of a three-termer barangay official on his running for elective barangay position in the merged barangay.

For DILG Cordillera regional director Everdina Echalar-Doctor, the body asked on the interpretation of the phrase, “in the local government unit or units directly affected” as found in Section 385 of the Local Government Code which provides that “A barangay may be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundary substantially altered, by law or by an ordinance of the sangguniang panlalawigan or sangguniang Panlungsod, subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite to be conducted by the Comelec in the local government unit or units directly affected within such period of time, as may be determined by the law or ordinance creating such barangay.”

For city legal officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes, the body sought a legal opinion on what will happen to clustered barangays that will oppose the merger.

The body also asked the local finance committee to prepare the financial figures relative to the Internal Revenue Allotment of the barangays proposed to be merged.


Palace releases P12 million for Baguio infrastructure projs

BAGUIOCITY – The Office of the President, through the Department of Budget and Management, approved the release of P12 million to fund the implementation of various infrastructure projects in this mountain resort city that would improve the delivery of basic services to the people.

The said amount was requested by Baguio City Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan from former Senator Juan Flavier who had been instrumental in improving various health and education facilities here.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr. identified the projects where the amount will be utilized which includes the construction of classrooms at the Baguio City National High School(BCNHS) Annex at San Vicente barangay – P8 million; construction of multi-purpose building at Gabriela Silang – P2 million and construction of a multi-purpose building at Balsigan barangay – P2 million.

He added that the allotment released shall be valid for obligation up to December 31, 2007.

Furthermore, the P12 million allotments authorized by the agency shall be used solely for the purposes indicated in the Special Allotment Release Order and that releases shall be made in accordance with existing budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Andaya disclosed that it is the primary responsibility of the head of the department, bureau or agency to keep expenditures within the limits of the amount allotted.

Earlier, Domogan requested a total of P25 million from former Senator Flavier to fund the implementation of various priority infrastructure projects in the different parts of the city but only P12 million was released since the senator ended his term last June 30, 2007.

Flavier had been instrumental in the construction of the P549 million five-storey annex building of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, the various structures at the BCNHS Main Campus where he happens to be an alumnus, the completion of the P55 million structure of the Baguio health department and the construction of vital roadlines and multi-purpose buildings in the city.

Local officials here hailed the two-time senator for his vital contribution sin the development of the city, especially in improving the delivery of health care services and the provision of quality education to the people.

In return, the BCNHS named several of its structures Flavier buildings in memory of the lawmaker’s support to his Alma Mater. – Dexter See


North Luzon projects on to boost business, income

BAGUIO CITY -- Millions of pesos worth of major infrastructure projects are now ongoing in north Luzon to boost business.

When completed, the major infrastructure projects in the Northern Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ) Super Region will also boost crop yield in the area and increase farmers’ income.

Roy S. Imperial, NLAQ project manager said these ongoing infrastructure projects are key components in the vision of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to transform regions 1, 2, 3, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and northern parts of Aurora (north of Baler), Tarlac (north of Tarlac City), Nueva Ecija (north of Cabanatuan City), and Zambales (north of Subic), as a thriving food production area and source of food for Metro Manila and other major population centers in Luzon.

Imperial said under the government’s NLAQ program, seven major transport, irrigation, power and post-harvest infrastructure projects were targeted for completion in 2010.

However, construction and development works for the Benguet Cold Chain System were already completed. The system, he said, was inaugurated by President GMA last March 19, 2007.

The cold chain system has the following components: building with cold storage, fruit and vegetable washer, stainless working tables, work shed and a pre-cooler.

The Halsema highway is a major road network in the Cordillera heartland connecting the provinces of Benguet, Mt. Province and Ifugao.

This highway is the main artery that connects these provinces to the Sabangan-Cervantes Road, Bontoc-Tuguegarao Road and other minor road networks.

Under the Halsema Highway Project, a report furnished by DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap, Development Champion for Luzon in his report to the President indicated that the Mt. Data-Bontoc Section has received an initial release of Php 340 million out of the allocation of Php 1 billion.

The 13 sections are now on-going and 7 sections are on the mobilization stage. Meanwhile, Php 189 million was initially released to the Bontoc-Banaue section with 7 sections now on-going and 4 are on the mobilization stage, the report said.

An amount of Php 112 million was received by the regional office of the and district engineer’s office of the DPWH for civil works under the Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao Road Project for the Bontoc-Tinglayan Boundary

Secretary Yap also reported that an amount of Php 220 million constituting Php 120 million for relocation and resettlement works and Php 100 million for rehabilitation of Agno River has been released to the Agno River Integrated Project in Pangasinan. Yap said that as of May 2007, an overall accomplishment of 89.5 percent has been achieved with an area coverage of 2,173 hectares.

The Casecnan Multi-purpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) in Nueva Ecija has an overall accomplishment of 83.87 percent.

The Banaoang Pump Irrigation Project (BPIP) in Ilocos Sur has acquired full road right of way (ROW) in the construction of pumping station, substation, and approach channel, 75% in main canal construction and 10% in lateral canals.

The Airport Development Projects in Basco, Ibayat, Bagabag, Lal-lo, and Casiguran have completed its respective detailed estimates, scope and program of works. An allocation of Php 51.9 million for these projects have been approved while Php 15 million was released for the rehabilitation of the Casiguran airstrip, according to Secretary Yap.

Some delays are being encountered in the implementation of the Dingalan Port Development Project and Port Irene Development Project due to unfavorable weather.


Baguio-Aritao road nearly done; seen to ease travel to Region 2

BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio-Aritao road project is now around 90 percent finished but it will be fully completed by March next year. When done, travel to Kalinga, Ifugao and other provinces in Region 2 would be greatly reduced.

This was bared during the recent Baguio-Aritao Road Improvement Project Monitoring Advisory Group meeting wherein the project engineer and the contractor bared the new completion date is March 28, 2008 after the Department of Public Works and Highways approved in principle a 147 calendar days extension.

The project was earlier set for completion this coming Oct. 14.

Despite the accomplishment, the contractor requested for an extension due to some problems encountered in the project implementation such as difficulty in hauling cement to the Ambuclao bypass road and limited mobilization of heavy equipment because of the 15 tons limit being implemented by National Power Corporation at the Ambuklao spillway.

Another reason cited was erratic weather condition. Engineer Benjamin Bautista of the DPWH Philippine –Japan Highway Loan project management office reported that as of July 25, actual accomplishment is 92.926 percent with a slippage this month of -2.622 percent.

With only a balance of 5.5 kilometers to be paved, concreting would be completed in two months time except for some critical portions.

The remaining works would be the two bridges and the Ambuklao bypass road, which involves the construction of reinforced earth wall at the end of the 1.72 km by pass road, he said.

Explaining the delay, Bautista said the contractor had problems on moving heavy equipment and cement to the sites after the Napocor during the course of the project strictly implemented a 15-tons load limit over the Ambuklao spillway.

Heavy equipment have to pass through the other way while the contractor had to adopt a scheme in which only one half of the supposed load of cement is transported in a trip.

Bial Palaez, BMAG co-chair, said the completion date being printed is important especially for planning business propositions like tours.

He said the completion date means the project is fully finished including documentation. As the shortest alternative route from Nueva Vizcaya to Benguet cutting down travel time by almost one half via San Jose, Nueva Ecija, the Baguio Aritao road is seen to boost tourism in the area.

Bautista said at the moment, travelers can travel through the road with relative comfort.

The Baguio to Ambuklao stretch is now all paved with a little portion near the boundary to be concreted very soon.

From the 6-8 hours travel time from Baguio to Aritao junction, it is now three to three and one half hours , he said.

Osmondo Hortaleza, project manager of CAVDEAL, said baring any unforeseen problems, the 147 calendar days extension would be enough for them to complete the project.

DPWH regional Director Mariano Alquiza appealed to the contractor to finish the project earlier.

CAVDEAL is the contractor of the Baguio-Aritao Contract Package 1 from Baguio to Pangawan, Kayapa Section(Benguet side) covering 68.128 kms. Contract Package II, Pangawan-Kayapa-Aritao Section(Vizcaya side) had already been completed and inaugurated by President Arroyo last January.

The Baguio-Aritao road is a major component of the Cordillera Roads Improvement Project to interlink the Cordillera with neighboring provinces to enhance the socio-economic activities in the areas.

Investing in physical infrastructure to increase business confidence and improve the lives of the people is one of the priority agenda of the government. -- PIA