MORE NEWS, BAGUIO CITY

RDC recognizes BIBAK group to represent studes

BAGUIO CITY – The Regional Development Council recently declared the Federation of BIBAK Student Association, Inc. (FBSAI) as the sole and duly recognized student organization representing the indigenous peoples’ students from different parts of the region studying in the higher education institutions in this mountain resort city and suburbs.

The FBSAI is a duly registered non-stock, non-profit corporation acting as the official representative of all BIBAK student organizations and associations in the cordillera.

Furthermore, the FBSAI is an aggrupation of different BIBAK student organizations and chapters in the different schools, universities and colleges which is akin to the Centralized BIBAK Association, Inc. (CBAI), the pioneer BIBAK organization which was organized and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the 1950s.

The RDC committee on indigenous concerns cited the need to declare the FBSAI the sole and duly recognized beneficiary of the BIBAK lot and building located along Harrison Road , Baguio to prevent other groups from taking advantage of the situation in claiming the prime property.

Currently, the BIBAK building is being occupied by unauthorized organizations and individuals and that the lot is the host of several alleged illegal structures who all refuse to vacate the property despite written demands by proper offices.

Moreover, there are several entities and persons claiming to be the rightful BIBAK representatives entitled to the prime lot and building.

The BIBAK lot has been envisioned to be an ideal area for the construction of a dormitory that would cater to the lodging needs of students coming from the different parts of the region who are studying in different higher education institutions and could not afford the excessive room rentals in the city.

However, such plan has never pushed through because of the absence of a duly recognized BIBAK organization where the lot will be named to legitimize its ownership over the property located at the heart of the city.

With the RDC’s approval, the FBSAI could not start processing the required documents from concerned government agencies in order to acquire possession of the lot and building in preparation for future plans of putting up a BIBAK dormitory for the benefit of indigenous peoples wanting to pursue higher education in the city. -- Dexter A. See


Two thirds of Baguio vehicles fail random
smoke-belching test
By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Two-thirds of motor vehicles plying streets in this mountain resort city are emitting smoke which does not pass standards set by the Clean Air Act, and as a result, the air quality in this city worsens every day.

This finding was the result of a random smoke testing conducted by environmental groups on private and public utility vehicles plying the city’s streets.

Environmentalists here, who were alarmed by the smoke test results, cited the need for an information drive to make the drivers aware of the importance of using alternative fuel to minimize pollution.

Despite a renewed advocacy by government and non-government groups on the use of alternative fuel as a way to improve air quality, the test showed that many motor vehicles roaming around the city are still smoke belchers.

The results of the surprise smoke test showed that only a few drivers have been actively participating in the campaign for clean air.

Environmentalists said the outcome of the test should be an eye opener especially to the transport sector which should police its ranks.

The vehicle owners should be responsible and should do regular preventive maintenance of their vehicles.

Most of the vehicles which had failed the free smoke test were public utility vehicles.

This indicates that the owners and drivers are not properly maintaining their jeepneys, buses or taxicabs.

Pro-environment groups also urged the city government unit to intensify its anti-smoke belching campaign and instill awareness among vehicle owners of the importance of proper maintenance and use of alternative fuel to help reduce pollution.

Meanwhile, the Environment Management Bureau in the Cordillera reported the main source of air pollution in the city is the smoke emitted by motor vehicles, especially cars using diesel fuel.

In the past eight years, the air quality in the city’s central business district has rapidly deteriorated because of the big increase in the volume of vehicles roaming around the city every day. This was aggravated by the non-use of alternative fuel.

While the air quality in other parts of the city, especially in the outskirts, is far better than that in the business area, EMB officials warned that the continuous cutting of trees in forests and watersheds will make the city’s air quality deteriorate in the next few years.

The environmentalists said one of major disadvantages of rapid urbanization is the deterioration of air quality because the trees that purify the air are being cut to pave the way for the construction of high-rise buildings.


Cordillera provinces get P2.89 B for infra projects
BAGUIO CITY — The six provinces and one city comprising the Cordillera Administrative Region were allotted P2.89 billion in infrastructure projects under this year’s P1.227 trillion national budget.

This was disclosed by Mariano R. Alquiza, regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways, who added the huge allocation for various projects in the region is an indication of the Arroyo administration’s sincerity in promoting rural development.

The fund allocation was culled from the budget of the DPWH for various projects in the different local government units throughout the country.

For the local governments in the Cordillera, Mountain Province topped the list with P864.8 million, followed by Kalinga with P533.32 million; Benguet, P520.67 million; Ifugao, P357 million; Apayao, P342.86 million; Abra, P138.89 million; and Baguio City, the only highly urbanized city in the region, P100 million.

Alquiza said the P2.89 billion fund allocation for the different provinces and city is included under the agency’s regular fund which will be implemented within the calendar year.

However, he cited more funds are yet to come for the Cordillera LGUs because their regular funds do not include the identified priority projects of their congressmen which will be funded by their P70 million annual Priority Development Assistance Fund as well as their insertions and initiatives in the budget.

Alquiza said the huge allocation for several provinces is due to the inclusion of the cordillera as one of the priority areas for development of President Arroyo under her State of the Nation Address commitments.

Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga are the major recipients of multibillion infrastructure development projects, particularly the completion of the phases two and three of the Halsema highway rehabilitation project and the upgrading of the Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao road, aimed at improving accessibility from Regions I, II, and the Cordillera to spur economic development in remote areas of the country.

Phase two of the Halsema highway rehabilitation covers at least a 50-kilometer stretch from Mt. Data, Bauko to Bontoc, Mountain Province while phase three has a total length of at least 40 kilometers from Bontoc, Mountain Province to Banaue, Ifugao.

On the other hand, the over 100 kilometers of the Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao road links Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Cagayan in Region II.

Alquiza said all the priority commitments of the President will be completed by the agency by the end of 2009 or early 2010 since the funds for the flagship projects have already been made available by Malacañang in the present and forthcoming executive budget of the national government.

He said the agency has mobilized its personnel to oversee the implementation of the President’s projects so that all problems arising from the implementation of needed works will be immediately addressed to prevent delays. – Dexter A. See