Amnesty extension up for water, power applications

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance extending the deadline of amnesty to applicants for electric and water connections in the city for a period of six months September 11, 2016, to March 10, 2017.

The ordinance, authored by Councilor Faustino A. Olowan, states due to the time limitation and additional requirements imposed by the local government to allow qualified residents to avail of the prescribed amnesty, there is a need to extend the deadline to qualified applicants in the city for a maximum of six months to have their home connected to power and water.

Ordinance No. 15, series of 2016 provides the applicants for electric and water connections in the city shall only be good for a period of four months starting May 10, 2016, and shall end on September 10, 2016.

Numerous amnesty applicants for electrical connections complained of the difficulty of having to comply with the stringent requirements prescribed in the aforesaid ordinance as they have to secure a certificate of non-tax delinquency from the City Assessor’s Office when the properties that they occupy are still in the name of the original owners who have tax liabilities with the local government.

According to the concerned amnesty applicants, the original owners of the lands where their houses are erected already died and that the heirs to their properties have serious problems in settling their tax liabilities with the local government  thus affecting their efforts to avail of legitimate power and water connections.

The concerned amnesty applicants urged the members of the local legislative body that in the proposed ordinance for extension of amnesty for power and water connections, the stringent requirements should be relaxed to allow more qualified local residents to avail of power and water connections.

The proposed ordinance was forwarded to the Committee on Public Utilities, Traffic and Transport Legislation for study and recommendation before it will be submitted for second reading and deliberations by the members of the local legislative body.

Olowan said the extension of the prescribed amnesty period for a maximum of six months will allow qualified applicants to be avail of the relaxed policies and requirements and to avoid the proliferation of flying connections, especially in heavily populated areas, which could be the cause of fire accidents.

He admitted the ordinance will only be effective after it shall have been signed by the City Mayor, thus, those who were not able to catch up on the last day of amnesty application should wait for the new schedule before submitting their complete documents with the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) for processing. -- Dexter A. See