Baguio traffic body, enterprise council reconstituted

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong has reconstituted the city’s traffic management committee formerly known as the Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) which will now be called the Land Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (LTTMC).

           Chaired by the mayor himself and co-chaired by the Coun. Benny Bomogao as head of the city council committee on public utilities, transportation and traffic legislation, the body will be tasked to review the proposed and existing policies, plans, programs and operating procedures on traffic and undertake revisions in accordance with the core agenda for good governance of the city government.

The committee will be composed of the head or representative of the following offices: City Engineering Office, City Planning and Development Office, City Legal Office, City Environment and Parks Management Office, City General Services Office, City Buildings and Architecture Office, Public Information Office, Baguio City Police Office, Traffic Enforcement Unit of the BCPO, Cordillera Depts. of Transportation (DOTr), Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Baguio City District Engineering Office, Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Education (DepEd) and three non-government organizations representing the academe and transport groups.  

In Executive Order No. 75, the mayor tasked the body to formulate traffic and transportation policies, plans and programs on public transport utility and supply development, prepare development plans and investment projects, plan, design and upgrade roads, traffic channels, intersections and other infrastructure facilities and formulate codes and other legislation measures. 

It is also tasked to develop and maintain a management information system through the establishment of a computerized data bank to support planning, implementation, monitoring and other programs related to transportation and traffic development.

In his order, the mayor also created sub-committees composed of representatives from various non-government organizations, national government agencies and departments of the city government. 

The sub-committees will represent the 5 Es of land traffic and transportation namely:

*Engineering to be headed by the city engineer to tackle engineering plans like the construction, improvement and maintenance of road networks, traffic facilities and infrastructure;

*Enforcement to be chaired by the BCPO to focus on implementation of schemes and laws related to traffic; 

*Education and information by the CPDO on education and information programs to ensure public awareness; 

*Enactment of laws by Bomogao top deal on laws, orders, policies, rules and regulations; and 

*Environment by the CEPMO to review appropriateness and responsiveness of the programs to the various aspects of environmental concerns like ambient air quality, water and waste water quality, forest and watershed, parks, noise and solid waste.

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Meanwhile, the city government’s Micro, Small and Medium-Term Enterprise Development Council (MSMEDC), the oversight body for all agencies involved in the establishment and operation of Negosyo Centers has been reorganized.

In Executive Order No. 62, Mayor Benjamin Magalong will head the council with Deimler Cuyan of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Baguio as co-chair and Director Fred Gawisan of the Dept. of Trade and Industry Benguet as vice chair.

The members are City Planning and Development Officer Evelyn Cayat, Dept. of Interior and Local Government City Director Evelyn Trinidad, Dept. of Science and Technology Benguet Director Arnold Inumpa, Dept. of Labor and Employment Benguet Emerito Narag, Food and Drug Administration Cordillera Licensing Officer Saturnina Pandosen,  Technical Education Skills Development Authority Benguet Provincial Director Engr. David Bungallon, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan, Coun. Philian Weygan, city tourism officer, city information officer and representatives from Philexport and Baguio Bankers Association.

The MSMEDC creation was by virtue of DTI Administrative Order No. 14-5 series of 2014 or the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 10644 or the “Go Negosyo Act of 2014” which mandates local government units to strengthen their councils  “to ensure the development of strong partnership between the government and the private sector.”

“There is a need to reorganize the MSMEDC to formulate appropriate strategies and implement programs and projects that will help in the promotion and strengthening of micro, small and medium enterprises in the city that could help spur continuous progress,” the mayor noted in the order.

The council will take charge of establishing the needed environment and opportunities conducive to the growth and development of enterprise in the locality, recommending to the city council all policy matters affecting business, formulating a Local Entrepreneurship Development Plan (LEDP) to be integrated into the Local Development Plan and facilitate the implementation of the same;

   Coordinating and integrating various government and private sector activities relating to enterprise development in the locality, formulating, disseminating and advocating policies, principles and implementing guidelines in the development and promotion of local enterprises; and developing and providing appropriate services beneficial to local enterprises and entrepreneurs.