MORE NEWS, BAGUIO CITY

For failure to build trash landfill: MB airs threat to file charges vs city officials
By Dexter A. See and Mike Guimbatan Jr.

BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera office of the Environmental Management Bureau has issued an ultimatum to the city government to construct its permanent sanitary landfill in accordance with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

The city government was warned that its failure to set up a permanent sanitary landfill would force the EMB to recommend the filing of charges against the city officials. This, as Baguio Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. announced he will allot P30 million for the purchase of an area for a landfill facility.

The mayor disclosed the plan for the purchase of a landfill lot as this city continues to experience its worst garbage crisis.

The Cordillera EMB office had earlier provided the needed technical advice to the city government on how to go about the closure of its Irisan open dumpsite and the subsequent establishment of a controlled dump facility or a sanitary landfill in the past eight years.

Engineer Paquito Moreno, EMB regional director, said his office was not remiss in its duties and responsibilities of providing assistance to the city government in the fast-tracking of the establishment of its sanitary landfill which would have averted the garbage crisis now plaguing this mountain resort city.

Moreno said the policy requires the EMB to issue two successive warnings to concerned local governments to comply with the law before making its final recommendation to the DILG and NSWC for the filing of administrative and criminal charges against the responsible local officials.

Baguio City has already received two warnings from the EMB, and if it continues to ignore the warning, EMB would recommend the filing of charges against the concerned city officials.

They said the situation threatens lives and properties of people living below the dumpsite, and the feared another Payatas II garbage tragedy.

The city government is currently negotiating with landowners in the neighboring towns of Itogon, Tuba, Sablan in Benguet on possible areas which the city could purchase and which it could establish its permanent sanitary landfill.

The city government had earlier allotted R30 million for the purchase of an area for its sanitary landfill facility. The law mandates all local government units nationwide to close the operation of their open dumpsites and set up their landfill facilities.

The problem loomed last July 14 when people residing near the decommissioned Irisan landfill barricaded the gate and prevented the entry of dump trucks.

Mayor Bautista, in a move to solve the garbage crisis, contracted a private hauler to transport the accumulated garbage to Capas, Tarlac starting last July 31 at a cost of P5,000 per ton of garbage.

The Irisan dumpsite was supposedly to be closed last January, but the city government failed to allocate a budget for a sanitary landfill.

A landowner in Tuba, Benguet offered some 20 hectares of land on Marcos Highway as site for the new garbage facility.

The Carantes family in Itogon also renewed its offer to sell a lot with area of some 10-20 hectares as dumpsite.

But the city officials have to secure social acceptability of the landfill facility from affected communities.

Meanwhile, some two hectares of lot reserved for a housing project for City Hall employees is being considered as a temporary dumpsite. The administration of the Philippine Military Academy also offered to accommodate biodegradable wastes. Price control on rice pushed to stop cartels BAGUIO CITY — Rice retailers here said the national government should impose a price control on commercial rice to prevent the malpractices of unscrupulous rice millers and traders.

The retailers and traders here said they are already fed up with the activities of an "obvious rice cartel" set up by some influential millers and businessmen in rice-producing areas of the country, particularly in Region II and III.

While noting that there was a P2-R3 per-kilo reduction in the prices of commercial rice last month, the retailers said that the prices of commercial rice have again increased by as much as R5 per kilo.

They said this forced them to also raise their retail prices, causing further burden of the people already harassed by the general increase in the prices of prime commodities

They said the malpractices of rice millers and dealers in Region II and III include the alleged release of a huge volume of rice to only one trader, who passes the rice supply to several layers of middlemen.

This is the principal cause of high rice prices, limitation of rice allocations for urban centers, and purchase of huge volume of government-subsidized rice in connivance with the unscrupulous National Food Authority officials, they said. Later, the subsidized rice is mixed with commercial rice, they also said.

Monitoring by the local traders showed that NFA warehouses in Regions II and III have "overflowing stocks," but they are wondering why the supply is not being used to flood the market so as to bring down the high prices of commercial rice.
Moreover, hundreds of tons of imported rice are expected to arrive soon at various ports of the country, and so there is no reason for the government to control rice allocation, they said. – Dexter A. See


Baguio pre-centennial golf Tournament set Aug 30-31
By Nonnette C. Bennett

BAGUIO CITY – The 18-Hole golf tournament at the Baguio Country Club and the Camp John Hay Golf Club officially begins the campaign for the 2009 Centennial Celebrations of the city on August 30 and 31.

Centennial Commissioner Bishop Carlito Cenzon said during a meeting Tuesday some 400 invited players will be able to play in one of the venues for P1,200. "The golf club sponsors have waived the green fees," he said.

Tournament Director Retired General Nelson Eslao said that the tournament format will be Molave for players with handicaps and System 36 for players without handicaps. A shotgun tee-off at 7 a.m.begins the tournament for the two days instead of the regular tee-off time schedules. "This way, we can assure all the players that they will be able to complete their games before the afternoon rains."

According to Eslao, two sets of trophies have been prepared for the winners in the two venues that will include: the regular divisions of Class A, B, C, D; two seniors; two ladies; two guests without handicap; most accurate drive; nearest to the pin; and most exercised.

The Hole-In-One award was still pending, he noted because of the prize sponsorship. Bishop Cenzon said that the golf tournament which is sponsored by the city government will help raise funds for the different activities that will be held in 2009 as part of the centennial anniversary.

He said that the funds would be able to support the sports activities slated by Dr. Charles Cheng. The city government has invited golf enthusiasts of the city and the nearby provinces, said Bishop Cenzon.


Rules out for road traffic, removal of loading areas
By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY- Acting Mayor Daniel Farinas Jr., last week issued Administrative Order No. 130 which further extends experimental traffic schemes in city roads, implemented earlier with AOs issued by Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr., until permanently adopted as ordinances by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Roads presently under experimental one-way schemes are Upper Session Road and associated roads; University of the Philippines Drive, Gov. Pack road and Upper Harrison road; and Marcos highway from Legarda junction up to Bakakeng road junction.

For Session road, the road up to the back of the Professional Regulations Commission junction to Session road extension, and the road back to Session road through North drive are deemed one-way.

The scheme was covered earlier by Administrative Orders 14 and extended through AO 51.

The second experimental one-way scheme is through AO 42, which was issued last March.

The one-way scheme goes in a circle through Governor Pack road, from Harrison road junction up to University of the Philippine drive junction; along UP drive, Gov. Pack junction up to Baguio Convention Center junction; and North drive, fronting UP Baguio, back to Harrison road through Alberto road.

Meanwhile AO 76 stipulates no parking is allowed along Marcos highway from Legarda road junction to Bakakeng road junction and vehicles should not turn left in Marcos Highway-North Sto. Tomas junction during peak hours from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from 5 to 7 pm.

Farinas last week also issued Administrative Orders 131 and 132 for another one-way traffic scheme and removal of temporary public utility jeepney loading areas.

Ferguson road junction and Roman Ayson road towards Bokawkan road shall be one-way.

Campo Filipino barangay also submitted a resolution requesting the Department of Public Works and Highways to regulate and implement rules for the access road to be one-way only.

Administrative Order 132 was also issued to remove loading areas for Mines View Express and Tuding Express jeepneys near the Kabayanihan barangay hall corner General Luna road, Upper Mabini St.

Parking at the areas shall not be allowed for a smoother traffic flow at the General Luna road-Upper Mabini Street, the AO stated. The two orders take effect immediately, the vice-mayorr emphasized, so as to lessen vehicle congestion in the Central Business District.