City mayor peeved over garbage barbs

By Antonio Alvarez Sagud Jr.

Despite barbs from critics on his handling of the pressing garbage here, Mayor Reinaldo Bautista said there is yet no final site to host a sanitary landfill to dispose Baguio trash.

The hauling of the city’s garbage to Capas, Tarlac was extended due to this, he said.

The mayor said the budget for hauling of garbage, purchase of garbage trucks and the landfill has been allocated and the funds wouldn’t be used for another purpose.

Bautista said he was disappointed with pronouncements of critics on the ten-year solid waste management program of the city.

He said processing of the engineered sanitary landfill will still take three years before its completion.

But since different problems like ancestral land claims hinder the city government in starting the landfill, Bautista said he finds it unfair for his critics to say that the city government is not doing its responsibility to resolve the garbage problem.


Sidewalk vendors ask approval of relocation

Some sidewalk vendors who do business in front Maharlika Livelihood Center here questioned approval of their relocation. But councilor Elaine Sembrano said they the city council followed legal procedures for the relocation of market vendors.

Sembrano said the local government in cooperation with market vendors processed the approval of the relocation sites after critical discussion of the agreement.

Eventually Maharlika management permitted the relocation of the vegetable section vendors to sell in front of Maharlika.

Sembrano said the city government is strict in implementing the ordinance prohibiting illegal vending in the city especially at the central business district.

Sembrano said strict zoning will be implemented and no one from the 209 legal stall owners will be displaced.


City government newspaper out soon

The city government will soon have an annual news paper publication after city hall employees and staff agreed on this as proposed by Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas.

The bi-annual newspaper of the Sanguniang Panglungsod will be named “Sanguniang Pahayagan” with news and features about City Hall.

Employees and staff will contribute items for the publication and report about accomplishments of their respective offices.

Briccio Domondon; SP spokesperson the date of publication is not yet final but the city will distribute copies to establishments like hotels and restaurants so people of Baguio will be informed about programs and projects of the city government. The “Sanguniang Pahayagan” will be launched December.