Baguio ‘bilis aksyon’ chief/ Developing City market

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong recently issued orders designating City Human Resources Management Officer Augustin Laban III as the Bilis Aksyon Partner (BSP) and permanent focal person of the Permanent Action Team of Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888 of the city government.

A BAP ensures the institutionalization and enhancement of the “Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na” client satisfaction and feedback mechanism program of the Civil Service Commission.

“Through the BAP, there is a means for the public to give their feedback whether good or bad regarding the services of a certain government organization,” the CSC said.

Launched in 1994 to become an integral part of frontline services, the Mamamayan Muna program seeks “to institutionalize courtesy, efficiency and prompt service to the public, to confer immediate recognition on state employees for good service and to provide the public with a mechanism for redress of grievances against ill-mannered and erring employees as well as tedious procedures in government offices.”

Meanwhile, the action team will spearhead the implementation of the Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888 as another public feedback mechanism “for the realization of the government’s policy to eradicate red tape and corruption.”

With Laban in the committee are Assistant CHRMO Edith Dawaten as alternate focal person, Administrative Officer V Ranche Domantay and Public Assistance and Complaints Desk Officers Maryjo Parnacio and Drema Barroga as technical officers.

The designation of the BAP is pursuant to the Implementing Guidelines on the Enhancement and Institutionalization of the Mamamayan Muna while the creation of hotline permanent action team is by virtue of Memorandum Circular No. 2017-109 of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government.

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Mayor Magalong said Wednesday he will not allow any more pocket improvements at the city market as the city will aim for the total development of the city’s show window.

The mayor Wednesday agreed with the representatives of the city council to pursue moves for the termination of the city’s 1996 market development contract with the Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corporation (Uniwide) based on the recommendation of the City Legal Office under Asst. City Legal Officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes. 

Any more improvement, big or small, would be for naught as the city will now pursue a modernization program for the entire property including the area not covered by the Uniwide transaction, according to the mayor.

During the meeting, Rabanes suggested that the city consider the Design-Build-Lease agreement with Uniwide “as terminated and/or breached in view of the declaration of the (company) as insolvent, hence, the liquidation of its assets and its eventual termination.”

“The City, using its own funds, may develop the City Market in the same manner that it did in improving the Handicrafts Section, Fruits Section, Blocks 3 and 4 of Baguio City Public Market during the pendency of the cases,” Rabanes further recommended.

The mayor last Monday directed the preparation of the conceptual plan and eventually a master development plan that would transform the trading center into a true show window of the city.

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda who heads the city council committee on laws said the august body may pass a resolution declaring the termination of the agreement by virtue of the liquidation order against the company.

The original plan approved under the lease agreement forged in 1995 provides for a six-story building with a total cost of P1.7 billion with Uniwide to operate the upper floors for 30 years  and the city to continue to supervise the first floor where the main market place and legitimate vendors will be housed.

However, the development project was stalled after four cases were filed separately in 1996 against city officials and Uniwide by the Hilltop Open Market Vendors Credit and Services Corporation (HOMVECSCO) for declaratory judgment, preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order; the group of Sagayo and Gumnad et.al., the Baguio Market Vendors Association Inc. (BAMARVA) and the group of Calicdan, Dalida et. al., for the annulment of Ordinance No. 38-1995, the award of contract and the DBL Agreement, with prayer for the issuance of a Writ of Preliminary Injunction and Damages.

In 2008 or 12 years later, the Regional Trial Court declared the validity of the Uniwide contract and dismissed the said cases and ordered the dissolution of the writs of preliminary injunction issued initially by the court and the cancellation of the injunction bonds and denied the claims for damages by the parties.

The said decision was later upheld by the Court of Appeals but the petitioners filed a Motion for Reconsideration.

The Supreme Court on September 2, 2015 affirmed the decisions of the RTC and the CA and the petitioners again sought reconsideration. 

On March 14, 2016, the SC denied with finality the motion and on July 8, 2016, the said SC decision became final and executor.

The city council on April 4, 2016 approved Resolution No. 056-16 directing a review of the of the development plan and pursuant to the measure, former mayor Mauricio Domogan issued Administrative Order No. 82-16 creating a committee to undertake the review.