MORE NEWS, BAGUIO CITY

Mayor signs subdivision monitoring ordinance
By Felicidad Aquino

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. last week signed into law city council Ordinance No. 19 series of 2009 known as "The Subdivision and Development Monitoring Ordinance” which provides the guidelines in monitoring subdivisions and other real estate development projects in the city.

Authored by Councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr., the measure also provided specific penalties for violations that will be committed by developers and proponents of all subdivisions, constructions and real estate development intended for sale or for commercial purposes that require the issuance of Preliminary Approval and Locational Clearance (PALC), Development Permit and/or Final Approval of Subdivision.

Cosalan said the guidelines are needed “to ensure strict compliance to existing laws including the city zoning ordinance and other applicable local resolutions and ordinances.” The measure mandates the creation of a monitoring team to be headed by the city planning and development office and the city council committee on urban planning, lands and housing as chair and co-chair respectively with the following offices as members: city engineer’s office, city buildings and architecture office, city administrator’s office, city assessor’s office, city treasurer’s office and a representative from the private sector.

The monitoring team will conduct periodic inspection of all subdivisions to which the city issued the requirements, will receive and act on complaints of violations, recommend to the city council and the city mayor the imposition of fines and penalties and will recommend to the city council legislative measures for effective monitoring of development activities of the real estate developers and contractors.

The measure also sets penalties for failure to secure the needed requirements. For the simple subdivisions, fines ranging from P500 to P3,500 were set while for complex subdivisions, the penalties range from P1,500 to P5,000.

The following acts will be the grounds in the imposition of fines:

*failure without just cause to secure, before any development activity, any of the clearances, permits or approval that are required by law or regulation from the city council or the city mayor;
*failure to comply with any or all of the conditions set forth in the clearances and permits;
*failure to complete development or non-provision of the required facilities, non-compliance with the approved development plan or altering plans without the approval of the city council;
*misrepresentation of facts and circumstance relative to the project at the time of application or monitoring; and
*failure to comply or obey orders issued by the city council or the city mayor after monitoring the existence of any violation.

The following will be the procedures:
*Upon receipt of a complaint of information of violation, the monitoring team shall immediately notify the violator and inspection shall be conducted;
*If there is any violation found, the fines and penalties for the first offense will be immediately applied;
*A 90-day period shall be given to the developer/owner/contractor to comply with the all the requirements or cause the needed mitigating measures. The fines and penalties for the second offense shall then be applied for any non-compliance;
*A 60-day complying period shall be set prior to the application of the fines and penalties for the third offense;
*Failure of any developer or owner to secure the necessary permits and clearance or to institute mitigating measures within 30 days after the third offense shall constitute just cause for the cancellation of the locational clearance, development permit and business permit and a recommendation for the revocation of the License to Sell and Certificate of Registration will be made to the Housing Land Use Regulatory Board;
*Violators may seek reconsideration of extension only on instances where the period of implementing mitigating measures is justifiably not enough provided any request for extension shall be exceed 90 days.


300 lawyers to file suits Vs government agencies
By Dexter A See

BAGUIO CITY April 24 – At least 300 lawyers from different parts of the country will be simultaneously filing a string of cases against numerous government agencies for their continuous failure to strictly implement 300 environmental laws come June 5, 2009, in time for the celebration of World Environment Day.

This was bared by lawyer Antonio Oposa, a famous environmental lawyer, at the close of the Forum on Environmental Justice sponsored by the Supreme Court (SC) which was held at the University of the Cordillera (UC) here.

According to Oposa, it is disheartening to know that only one percent of the 300 existing environmental laws is being implemented, thus, unscrupulous and enterprising individuals and groups are now making a killing in irresponsibly exploiting the country’s rich natural resources.

Oposa hailed the SC for initiating a timely move to enhance the implementation and conviction of environmental laws which could help spell the difference on how the people will preserve and protect the environment.

Aside from the simultaneous filing of cases against government agencies and companies violating the country’s environmental laws, Oposa disclosed on October 24, 2009, which is in time with the celebration of United nations Day, numerous individuals and groups will also be filing cases against individuals, groups and governments all around the world to serve as a wake up call for humanity to be vigilant about what is happening around them and to protect Mother Earth.

The staunch environmental lawyer, claimed it is not yet too late in the day to wage an all-out war against environmental degradation, the land, air and water, thus, it is high time to inform and educate the people that there exist laws that protect the environment for the sake of future generations of humanity.

Oposa emphasized those in the legal profession must be attune to existing environmental laws that need to be strictly enforced for the sake of the future generations, thus, the handy work of the SC in initiating a simultaneous forum on environmental justice deserves the highest recognition.

Results of the forum in Baguio, Iloilo and Davao showed the lack of awareness among stakeholders as well as the lack of information and education campaign on existing environmental laws.

Oposa explained the present generation seems not to think of the coming generations of humanity, thus, they work at will in exploiting the rich natural resources of the country thereby depriving the children and the unborn children of their right to a balanced and healthy environment.

Prior to the simultaneous filing of cases against government agencies and companies violating environmental laws, Oposa’s group will be holding a series of organized commitments in the Visayas and Mindanao to solicit the active participation of lawyers in the nationwide crusade that could merit an environmental revolution among the people.

What is needed now, Oposa asserted, is a true revolution for environmental protection.


93 % poor Cordi kins enrolled in PhilHealth
BAGUIO CITY -- More and more poor families in the Cordillera continue to enjoy higher PhilHealth benefits as 93.5 percent of the entire poor population or 81,426 families are enrolled under PhilHealth’s Sponsored Program through the initiative of various local government officials and and private sponsors in the Region.

The figure translates to around 423,415 beneficiaries who are covered of quality health care services from PhilHealth’s accredited hospitals and professionals including Rural Health Units.

PhilHealth Cordillera made this announcement as PhilHealth is actively gearing towards Universal Coverage or coverage of 85% of the entire population by October this year, four months earlier than the February 2010 deadline set by RA 7875.

As of March, Ifugao and Benguet achieved Universal Coverage as data shows that the two provinces registered into the program more than its entire poor population with 195 and 123 percent respectively.

Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao sponsored 9,980 families while mayors and some barangays of the Province registered 4,959 families into the program.

This figure also includes 6,587 families under the provincial government which is awaiting renewal.

In Benguet, Gov. Nestor Fongwan in partnership with the province’s 13 mayors enrolled 8,688 of the province’s 11,963 members, thus making them and all their qualified legal dependents eligible to avail of preventive and curative services from the province’s twelve accredited regional helath units and hospitals nationwide.

In Kalinga 13,378 families were enrolled under initiative of Gov. Floydella Diasen, mayors and Rep. Manuel Agyao.

In Mt. Province 9,986 poor families have been given access to health insurance through Gov. Maximo Dalog in partnership with mayors. An additional 10,353 families in in the province are expected to be enrolled this year with the implementation of a tripartite memorandum of agreement among local government unitis and the office of the congressman.

In Abra, 27 towns enrolled 14,490 or 64% of its poor families enjoying maximum allowances for hospitalization benefits that include room and board, drugs and medicines, x-ray laboratories and others, operating room fee including subsidies for professional fees.

Abra Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin is enrolling an additional 2,300 families into the program, making the Province’s total enrollment to 16,790 families or an estimated 87,308 individuals.

In Apayao, 53% or 6,520 poor families are now bonafide members through the auspices of Rep. Elias Bulut Jr.

Another 2,575 poor families are enrolled as facilitated by the province’s six town mayors.

Baguio City has a total enrollment of 835 poor families, short of 443 families in achieving Universal Coverage.

PhilHealth Regional Vice President Elvira C. Ver has urged local chief executives to partner with PhilHealth in providing quality health care.

She said with the LCEs’ investment in health care, the LGUs constituents are protected by the country’s premiere social health insurance provider.


Baguio mayor says Irisan dumpsite activity in order
By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. Thursday maintained that the activities the city is undertaking at the Irisan dumpsite are all in order and are not violating any law.

In his Ugnayang Panlungsod press briefing last Thursday, the mayor upheld that the dumping of residual wastes at the trash site is part of the rehabilitation project to complete the closure and development of the area and not just a thoughtless move to reopen the dumpsite in the absence of a facility after the cessation of the hauling operation at Capas, Tarlac early this month.

The mayor’s statement was in reaction to the move of Irisan and Asin barangay residents to petition the court to stop the city from dumping the wastes at the facility. The residents sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the city from further dumping and when this was denied by the court, are now seeking the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction.

The mayor assured that the city has been exercising caution in dealing with the trash to safeguard the health and lives of the residents in the area.

The mayor said the residual wastes are indeed being used to fill up recessed or open spaces in the dumpsite with the construction of the perimeter fence around the area.

“I think leaving the piles of garbage uncollected poses more danger to our city,” the mayor said.

The mayor also lauded the city council for approving a string of measures for the waste management program of the city during their sessions held from April 20-21 in Clark, Pampanga.

The measures are:
*To urge the City Environment Management Office to continuously collect the wastes as long as these are segregated;
*To authorize the CEMO to hire emergency workers to do the segregation;
*Support the immediate approval of the agreement between the city and the Department of Agriculture to bring the city’s biodegradable wastes at the Baguio Dairy Farm for a P300 per ton tipping fee. The body also authorized the city mayor to enter into the agreement and to pay the necessary fees subject to availability of funds;
*For the city to send a representative to negotiate with San Fernando City for the hauling of a limited amount of wastes in its facility;
*For the CEMO to identify areas where small-scale composting can be done in coordination with the barangays;
*To request the mayor to prioritize the rehabilitation and operationalization of the common materials recovery facilities in Irisan;
*To urge the concerned department particularly the Bid and Awards Committee to fasttrack the bidding for the construction of the MRFs and for the purchase of composting machines;
*To urge barangays to organize into cooperatives for the waste livelihood project;
*Urging the General Services Office to consider the direct acquisition of necessary equipment for the solid waste management program from the DOST;
*For the CEMO to assist the barangay clusters in identifying the sites for MRFs:
*For barangays without cooperatives, the barangay officials are urged to undertake the waste management program; and
*To allocate funds for giving rewards to barangays that comply with segregation policy and those that implement composting. The body also adopted the composting practice of punong barangay Fred Fangonon as one of the alternatives in managing biodegradable wastes.


Cops looking for grenade lobbers; 2 killed, 5 hurt
BAGUIO CITY – Police are still trying to establish identities of perpetrators who lobbed a grenade at a group of youngsters here dawn Monday resulting to death of two young men.

Vio Joe Mendoza, 20 and Deo del Mundo, 21, died at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, six hours after they were rushed with five others due to serious shrapnel wounds from a fragmentation grenade.

Police said suspects aboard a pick-up truck lobbed the grenade around 3:30 a.m. along Leonard Wood Road.

The five other victims were: Rey Anthony Carino, 19; Raul Andrade, 21; Jerome Santos, 22; Mark Dave San Mateo, 23; and Lyndon Neocina, 23, all students.

Jocelyn Mendoza, mother of the 20-year-old victim urged police to solve the case so justice will be served.

Explosives and Ordnance experts said the grenade was an MKII-type fragmentation grenade, the same type lobbed against students inside a computer shop in November 2007 by gangsters because of a heightened rivalry between youth gangs in the city.

Twelve students were hurt during the incident including a notorious youth gang leader in the city.

Police said victims were drinking along the famous “Stairs To The World” steps leading to Upper Session Road from Leonard Wood Road when another group passed by and lobbed the grenade.

Police are now tracking down the suspects who were reportedly aboard a pick-up truck.

Rival street gangs here reportedly engaged each other violently daily along major streets in the city and barangays.

Crime watch groups in city barangays proposed
BAGUIO CITY - Councilor Nicasio Aliping Jr. proposed an ordinance institutionalizing the Neighborhood Crime Watch Program by establishing the Baguio City Crimewatch Council and branches in the barangays..

Aliping said the council is needed to design concrete programs for the community to be actively involved in preventing and fighting crime by encouraging all neighbors to work together against neighborhood crime and to cooperate in law enforcement.

As proposed, the council will be composed of the city mayor as honorary chairman, the Sangguniang Panglungsod chairman of the committee on public safety and human rights as chairman and chief executive and presiding officer , the ABC president or his authorized representative, the Sanguniang Kabataan Federation or his authorized representative, the city director of the Department of Interior and Local Government, the chief of police , and the president of the Senior Citizens Federation as members.

Aliping said the involvement of the barangays in the anti-crime campaign can be achieved by “organizing the residents into as much crime watch groups as would be possible in every barangay.”

The barangay crime watch groups will be headed by the Barangay Crime Council to be composed of the barangay captain as chairman, the Sanguniang Barangay chairman on the Committee in Peace and Order as vice- chairman, the barangay SK chairman with the barangay Chief Tanod and the President of the Senior Citizens Association in the Barangay, duly accredited with the barangay council, as members.

“These crime watch groups will supplement the over-all crime prevention and control program of the Police Organization and the Barangay Tanod Brigades with the main purpose of creating communities whose members protect each other and serve as an efficient intelligence network combating and suppressing lawlessness in their respective areas of jurisdiction,” he said.

The Neighborhood Crimewatch Unit would be known as “Timpuyog”. -- Zarette Baniya A. Marie Vennis Hamchawan F.Judith Tugade


Low prices of goods at ‘diskwento’ fair
BAGUIO CITY -- A government-initiated market fair where manufacturers can sell their products at discounted prices has been set at the Baguio Convention Center grounds on May 2 to 4.

Manila-based and traveling manufacturers will offer big discounts on bread, canned sardines, noodles, processed meat products, cooking oil, milk, beverages, toiletries, medicines and other basic and prime commodities.

Dubbed “Diskwento: Presyong Panalo sa Mamimiling Pilipino,” this Malacanang initiated project is aimed at easing consumers of rising prices of basic commodities and to increase the buying power of the peso.

Preparations for the sale have been made by the Department of Trade and Industry regional and provincial offices with more than twenty manufacturers in order meet the expected demand of market goers.

Local SMEs and producers will also join the fair and other products under the One-Town-One-Product program to be sold at a discounted rate.

The program is a component of the non-wage benefit program that helps easing the financial burden of low-income earning Filipinos.

Successful "Diskwento" fairs have been held nationwide. -- Art Tibaldo


SM job fair set May 1
BAGUIO CITY -- The SM Supermalls will celebrate Labor Day, May 1 with a nationwide job fair at its 33 malls around the country.

SM Malls have been a catalyst in creating employment and business opportunities in all areas where they are located, and the job fair is one way in which it can do its share for the community.

Held in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment, the Public Employment Service Office, and local government units, the fair aims to honor the Pinoy Working Force, and to help as many people as possible find employment.

With more than 800 companies participating, the event will encourage people to join the Proud Pinoy Workforce.

At SM City Baguio, booths will be set up and staff from different companies will be ready to receive applicants and enlarge their work force from 10 a,m. to 5 p.m.

Among those participating are SM companies like SM Supermarket, SM Cinemas, SM Foodcourt, SM Department Store, SCMC Administration, SM Surplus, Toy Kingdom, Intercontinental Hotels Group and Baguio Country Club.

This is the second nationwide job fair that SM Supermalls organized. In last year’s job fair, a total of 822 companies participated.

A total of 29,617 registered, of which 70% were hired.